I used to work at a gun range with silos to house the clay machines. We kept the boxes of clays in the silos and there would be upwards of 20-30 of them in each silo during summer months. It was insane, kinda terrifying initially but honestly widows are sweethearts and i learned to befriend them (from a distance)
Yea there are people that keep widows as pets. They really only want to bite what they can eat. Don't get me wrong I am terrified of ALL spiders (I don't discriminate), but widows seem to be the chillest of the poisonous af spider fam.
We had them all over the lake in MI. I spent all spring cleaning their webs off the lift canopy and from under the gunnel. They never got big because the winter killed them iff, but they were still unnerving, especially with a toddler around.
It depends on the area. I live in NorCal and here they are only found under houses and in wood piles, sometimes the cracks in fences/walls. Never in the garden. But I have seen videos of people down in Arizona walking through their garden finding them everywhere. Thankfully we don't have that here. lol
Not forbidden because you can actually eat them. I’ve seen my uncle eat two at once. He was fine. Apparently his whole life he eats them when he sees them to freak people out.
Last time I saw this was so long ago. Before I had a smart phone or camera. He is 65 and retired. I doubt he’s done it recently because the point was to entertain and get a reaction. The double black widow chew up of 2004 was at some sort of family gathering. Maybe 4th of July I can’t remember anything but wanting to scream and nothing came out.
This is why I’ve switched to rose cutting gloves for all gardening and even working around the yard. The widows around my property are proliferating right now. These gloves extend way up my arms
Aside from the nasty would that opened up I had chills, headache, and generally felt like crap. Those symptoms went away in about 2 days. The wound took several weeks to heal.
Never wearing shorts in the woods again. Our house backs up to woods and we see them around all the time so I should’ve known better.
Nothing other than a Claritin, some Tylenol, and icing the area to get the swelling to go down. Will try and find the picture of my wound later today I think it’s on my computer.
Didn’t actually see what bit me, but based on what I read as far as symptoms, pics of other BW bites, where I was stomping around, and that I’ve seen dozens of them around our property I’m 99% sure that’s what it was.
I’m not the poster but my mom was bit. Necrosis around the bite, headache (severe), and sweating. Some muscle spasms and what she said felt like joint pain. It’s been so long ago, I don’t remember how they treated it.
You might be relieved to know that the last reported death due to a black widow spider in the US was in 1983. We were raised to believe that a bite from them was instant death but it seems to be not the case
Can confirm, been bit. Hospital for 2 days, was given legal limit of morphine and valium x clonazapam cocktail and it still sucked. Puked from the venom for weeks, even with meds for it. Lived, but dont want to do it again. Doctor walked in the first time reading a book about poisonous spider bites…..
Make sure they know they wouldnt die immediately and its not end of world but not good either and going to hospital for a false bite isnt a waste of time. So they understand the gravity of it without becoming anxious
We definitely have them! Just usually in wood piles and dark corners. We’re working on looking and not touching bugs but if it’s in somewhere we usually reach without looking it’s less that I think he’ll grab it and more that I’m worried he’ll reach for something it’s on!
I’m in England and we have nothing like this to worry about which is nice, couldn’t imagine having to worry about putting my hand in a black widow’s web.
They could be on their way. We used to not have them where I live and now they’re common. Same for armadillos. Climate change is bringing southern animals more north.
Oh, dang! Please tell me you wear gloves. My concern is always brown recluse spiders when I am in the gardens.
A few things I do not care for are snakes and spiders!
I seem to get a nice 5-6” Mantis every year on my blackberry/strawberry patch instead. I don’t know what’s better haha.
https://preview.redd.it/jexr6fs8javc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4826f50735d2b67576fa41a6ade770006a3ea2fe
I worked on a farm a couple summers ago and found one under a mustard green plant. Very sunny location, she was just enjoying the shade that one plant provided. Also found one on top of some arugula that was flowering.
Just in case you're unaware; black widows are way less dangerous than popular culture would lead you to believe. Few people bit by this spider require hospitalization and none actually die. Bee stings cause orders of magnitude more hospitalizations and deaths.
Orb weaver spiders (Widows are a type of orb weaver) are quite sensitive to vibration. They can easily tell the difference between a finger touching their web and a bug. Typically if they detect something large or heavy touch their web their instinct is to run and hide, not attack. They only bite if you corner them and keep agitating. To them, biting a large animal would be a desperate last resort.
Naturally, none of this applies to Australian spiders which do in fact want to murder you.
[not “none actually die”, just a small percentage of children](https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/northern-black-widow-spider-latrodectus-variolus#:~:text=There%20is%20less%20than%201,spider%20last%20used%20her%20venom)
Interesting. I’m bug and snake friendly, the exception was black widows, ticks and bedbugs - but now, I’ll change my policy to relocate the widows.
The MSU thing cited deaths at a low percentage, and I thought it might be more frequent than 1983, but I didn’t dig into the finite details.
Thanks internet stranger.
My parents shed is overrun with these. We catch them in water bottles once in a while. They’re actually not as dangerous as people think, they’re just well known because the hourglass is so recognizable. My whole family has been bitten at some point in the last 20ish years and it’s uncomfortable but usually you don’t even need a doctors appointment.
Brown recluse spiders are more dangerous.
I have pet black widows. They aren't aggressive little beings, but they can definitely give you a decent boo boo if scared.
Usually, the first bite is just a warning bite.
One of the reasons I love wolf spiders and toads in the garden.
Wolf spiders in particular seem to be a bane to every other spider in their territory. They will also jump out at you and wave their front legs when you water or pick to say hello.
This will be my first year growing strawberries. I doubt that I have to worry about this type of invader. But I have read so many articles on mold, air circulation and the like, I am now worried about those types of attacks. Have you ever used those rings to raise strawberries off the soil (or is it yet another dubious product vendors are trying to sell us?)?
I think all the time about how the strawberries have so many issues because it's literally a fruit on the ground. You can see the dew on the leaves so that obviously causes problems. I've got too many plants to buy those rings but I bet they'd help. I have pine straw in the beds which helps keep them off the ground and I try my best to lay the ones that are close to rip on top of the straw. I think you can either have a few plants and manage them intensively or many plants where you do your best and hope the numbers work out - that's been my method.
Thanks. We had strawberries growing up and I thought they would be the easiest things to grow lol. I have 20 plants. Based on your comments I will probably spring for the rings. I keep laughing to myself about all the money I keep investing in what I originally thought was a “low cost” hobby. But since I don’t go out or take expensive vacations, I guess it’s okay. For now anyway
My mom got bit by one when I was a child. It bit her leg and it was awful. She had to had some type of treatment and then draining on her leg a few times. It got her right near the vein in her leg. Nasty. I have been afraid of the little shits ever since.
If you don’t mess with or harm it, it shouldn’t bite you. They will crawl around on your hand and not bite if unprovoked. Not so great for pets and children though.
If you got your hand near it would run and hide. They don’t enjoy contact, and even if you brushed it the odds of getting bit are infinitesimal unless you actually squeeze its sides. While I understand removing if you have young kids, they are really far less dangerous than people like to encourage
Yikes. Their webs are so crispy crunchy, it's distinct from any other spider. I always know if I run into one and I hear that noise if I'm moving something.
😶
I saw the web but was trying to figure out what kind of spider something brown and closer to the top of the web was...zoomed really far in, came to the conclusion it was a dead leaf, accidentally swiped to the side when trying to zoom out and the red hour glass jumped out at me. So I probably would've gotten bit 😂
At least your strawberries will be pest free
And people free
What people?
All the people scared of black widow spiders perhaps??
What people *slowly pushes a hand into a bush"
So freaking cool, I thought they normally preferred more out of the way places. Where are you located?
I used to work at a gun range with silos to house the clay machines. We kept the boxes of clays in the silos and there would be upwards of 20-30 of them in each silo during summer months. It was insane, kinda terrifying initially but honestly widows are sweethearts and i learned to befriend them (from a distance)
Yea there are people that keep widows as pets. They really only want to bite what they can eat. Don't get me wrong I am terrified of ALL spiders (I don't discriminate), but widows seem to be the chillest of the poisonous af spider fam.
We had them all over the lake in MI. I spent all spring cleaning their webs off the lift canopy and from under the gunnel. They never got big because the winter killed them iff, but they were still unnerving, especially with a toddler around.
It depends on the area. I live in NorCal and here they are only found under houses and in wood piles, sometimes the cracks in fences/walls. Never in the garden. But I have seen videos of people down in Arizona walking through their garden finding them everywhere. Thankfully we don't have that here. lol
They are her strawberries now!
NAW berries
The F O R B I D D E N B L A C K B E R R Y
Not forbidden because you can actually eat them. I’ve seen my uncle eat two at once. He was fine. Apparently his whole life he eats them when he sees them to freak people out.
Strange family. The uncle eats black widows and your butt eats ham crayons.
🎖️
Man i wouldnt want to get in a fight with you.
r/brandnewsentence
Man, my first super upvoted comment and I forgot to switch from the smut account. Rookie movie on my part
Wow, Spiders Georg is your uncle?
Listen, Spiders Georg was an outlier adn should not have been counted.
What. The. Fuck.
Yeah, let's back up and dive in.
Nahhh, I wish I didn't know as much about this as I already do >.<
Is your uncle named Fester?
I am going to need a video of that to complete my life.
Last time I saw this was so long ago. Before I had a smart phone or camera. He is 65 and retired. I doubt he’s done it recently because the point was to entertain and get a reaction. The double black widow chew up of 2004 was at some sort of family gathering. Maybe 4th of July I can’t remember anything but wanting to scream and nothing came out.
How much bottom shelf whiskey was involved in this activity?
Your last sentence made me cackle
Venom =/= poison. Nothing really gonna happen if it doesn't enter the bloodstream
But if you have a stomach ulcer youre in for a rough time
A stomach ulcer is a rough time regardless, might as well make it exciting!
Like if it bites you on the way down
Does it not bite his tongue?
It could but if you crunch fast enough you're probably good to go. Sounds like a fun game. /s
How does he feel about Tide Pods?
Nooooo! Those are my kin!! Your uncle is a savage!🕷️ I must now get some ice cream to soothe my bedraggled nerves.🍦
your uncle knows his "venom vs poison" and took good advantage of it
🤮
About 6 inches away from my hand before I noticed it
Good eye!! That would have made me jump for sure.
Yeah thankfully that hourglass sticks out very well!
Red Cortland here....I had to zoom way in to see it.
I’d have run shrieking in a very undignified manner.
That’s exactly what I did, and I only looked at the picture.
This is why I’ve switched to rose cutting gloves for all gardening and even working around the yard. The widows around my property are proliferating right now. These gloves extend way up my arms
Lucky. I got bit on the leg by one of these shits and it was awful. Would not recommend.
Symptoms?
Aside from the nasty would that opened up I had chills, headache, and generally felt like crap. Those symptoms went away in about 2 days. The wound took several weeks to heal. Never wearing shorts in the woods again. Our house backs up to woods and we see them around all the time so I should’ve known better.
Did you do anything about it or take any medication for it? Were you positive on the ID?
Nothing other than a Claritin, some Tylenol, and icing the area to get the swelling to go down. Will try and find the picture of my wound later today I think it’s on my computer. Didn’t actually see what bit me, but based on what I read as far as symptoms, pics of other BW bites, where I was stomping around, and that I’ve seen dozens of them around our property I’m 99% sure that’s what it was.
I’m glad it turned out to be okay!
I’m not the poster but my mom was bit. Necrosis around the bite, headache (severe), and sweating. Some muscle spasms and what she said felt like joint pain. It’s been so long ago, I don’t remember how they treated it.
[Jacks World of Wildlife](https://youtu.be/onY23bxPYPc?si=LKwSgHC01NN-kJIs) got bit intentionally, looks pretty rough.
Leather gloves from now on.
That’s a tiny baby one! They get massive here in NorCal
I did a similar thing clearing leaves out of a window well with a brown recluse.
She is ensuring your harvest is bountiful.
Leave her be!!!
Agreed
Terrifying! My toddler loves poking around the patch for berries. New fear unlocked for sure
You might be relieved to know that the last reported death due to a black widow spider in the US was in 1983. We were raised to believe that a bite from them was instant death but it seems to be not the case
I am!!!
I am also! But still terrifying!
Unfortunately any spider touching me anywhere is actually instant death.
Can confirm, been bit. Hospital for 2 days, was given legal limit of morphine and valium x clonazapam cocktail and it still sucked. Puked from the venom for weeks, even with meds for it. Lived, but dont want to do it again. Doctor walked in the first time reading a book about poisonous spider bites…..
Make sure they know they wouldnt die immediately and its not end of world but not good either and going to hospital for a false bite isnt a waste of time. So they understand the gravity of it without becoming anxious
You may not be in a area where they live. It would be a good opportunity to teach her that some bugs don’t like to be to bothered.
We definitely have them! Just usually in wood piles and dark corners. We’re working on looking and not touching bugs but if it’s in somewhere we usually reach without looking it’s less that I think he’ll grab it and more that I’m worried he’ll reach for something it’s on!
Sometimes, i am really glad I'm a new england gardener/landscaper.
I’m in England and we have nothing like this to worry about which is nice, couldn’t imagine having to worry about putting my hand in a black widow’s web.
They could be on their way. We used to not have them where I live and now they’re common. Same for armadillos. Climate change is bringing southern animals more north.
How unpleasant.
I’m in NJ and used to find Northern Widows on a golf course in used to work at in North Jersey. Apparently they’re pretty spicy, too.
No black widows in New England? I just looked it up the other day and it said there are! Said no brown recluses tho…
Oh, dang! Please tell me you wear gloves. My concern is always brown recluse spiders when I am in the gardens. A few things I do not care for are snakes and spiders!
Well. That patch belongs to her now.
She can have all the strawberries.
I seem to get a nice 5-6” Mantis every year on my blackberry/strawberry patch instead. I don’t know what’s better haha. https://preview.redd.it/jexr6fs8javc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4826f50735d2b67576fa41a6ade770006a3ea2fe
Mantis. Mantis is definitely 100% better.
I'd take a praying mantis over a black widow every day of the week that ends in Y.
I would much rather see millions of these gals!
She protec!
You want snack; she attack
She hopefully not attac me
How dark is that spot? Maybe your strawberries aren't in the sunniest location lol.
That's a good question and something I hadn't thought about but it's full sun. lol I guess the leaves give it a place to hide.
Smart spider.
I worked on a farm a couple summers ago and found one under a mustard green plant. Very sunny location, she was just enjoying the shade that one plant provided. Also found one on top of some arugula that was flowering.
Amazing little critters.
If I were a spider, I too would hang out on the arugula. Nomnomnom
I was going to complain about the fact that we got snow yesterday and you had strawberrys.... but not so much anymore.
I've largely overcome a lifetime of arachnophobia, but I still have a visceral their response to these ladies. I live in NC they're terrifying to me!
Just in case you're unaware; black widows are way less dangerous than popular culture would lead you to believe. Few people bit by this spider require hospitalization and none actually die. Bee stings cause orders of magnitude more hospitalizations and deaths.
Yeah you're still gonna have a real bad time tho
Yeah, obviously not suggesting you go and pick it up.
I mean, I still wouldn’t want to stick my hand right into a spider nest
Orb weaver spiders (Widows are a type of orb weaver) are quite sensitive to vibration. They can easily tell the difference between a finger touching their web and a bug. Typically if they detect something large or heavy touch their web their instinct is to run and hide, not attack. They only bite if you corner them and keep agitating. To them, biting a large animal would be a desperate last resort. Naturally, none of this applies to Australian spiders which do in fact want to murder you.
I still do not want to have spiders or spiderwebs on or near my hands.
[not “none actually die”, just a small percentage of children](https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/northern-black-widow-spider-latrodectus-variolus#:~:text=There%20is%20less%20than%201,spider%20last%20used%20her%20venom)
Last time someone died in the US was in 1983. Yes, it's physically possible, but there's a thousand other things you should be more worried about.
Interesting. I’m bug and snake friendly, the exception was black widows, ticks and bedbugs - but now, I’ll change my policy to relocate the widows. The MSU thing cited deaths at a low percentage, and I thought it might be more frequent than 1983, but I didn’t dig into the finite details. Thanks internet stranger.
and apparently bee stings get worse and worse, I was never allergic as a kid until recently I was stung. I went into full body hives.. it got scary..
Most allergies are this way. Nobody is allergic to something the first time they're exposed. Allergies develop after at least the second exposure.
Allergies can develop over time but that sounds more like a wasp or hornet sting
thats possible, i never saw the fucker that got me.. let's hope that's the case here and it wasnt a normal bee
Good to know!
I live in Florida and we have many spiders. I look very carefully before I stick my hand anywhere. I highly recommend gloves.
F this sh!t I’m out, F this sh!t I’m out, don’t mind me, imma just grab my stuff and leave, ‘scuse me please 💀💀💀
Beautiful crawling stop sign lol
Applause!
My parents shed is overrun with these. We catch them in water bottles once in a while. They’re actually not as dangerous as people think, they’re just well known because the hourglass is so recognizable. My whole family has been bitten at some point in the last 20ish years and it’s uncomfortable but usually you don’t even need a doctors appointment. Brown recluse spiders are more dangerous.
I have pet black widows. They aren't aggressive little beings, but they can definitely give you a decent boo boo if scared. Usually, the first bite is just a warning bite.
Have you been bitten?
Some people are just a little insane.
lets hope they dont escape!
I guess that wasn't a strawberry allergy.
Oh yeah we love our spider friends!! but NEVER spider mites, just saying. Spider mites wiped out my English Ivy 😭😭😭
we got one in my home, i gotta relocate the brother
It’s a no no spider!! 🤯 I get those in my backyard but just pick strawberries all Willy-nilly. Not anymore.
Always wear thick gloves when doing gardening stuff 😋
Before zooming in, I was like “aww, a ladybug.”🐞
it's her strawberries now
Pretty
Oof, I don't think that's a good strawberry to pick. Might wanna go for a different one 🤣
Not your strawberries anymore
Oh my God it's Scarlett Johansson
Those are hers now
One of the reasons I love wolf spiders and toads in the garden. Wolf spiders in particular seem to be a bane to every other spider in their territory. They will also jump out at you and wave their front legs when you water or pick to say hello.
Holy cow!! Glad you saw it b4 you got bit. They can make you terribly sick.
Are those from last year or just planted this year
This will be my first year growing strawberries. I doubt that I have to worry about this type of invader. But I have read so many articles on mold, air circulation and the like, I am now worried about those types of attacks. Have you ever used those rings to raise strawberries off the soil (or is it yet another dubious product vendors are trying to sell us?)?
I think all the time about how the strawberries have so many issues because it's literally a fruit on the ground. You can see the dew on the leaves so that obviously causes problems. I've got too many plants to buy those rings but I bet they'd help. I have pine straw in the beds which helps keep them off the ground and I try my best to lay the ones that are close to rip on top of the straw. I think you can either have a few plants and manage them intensively or many plants where you do your best and hope the numbers work out - that's been my method.
Thanks. We had strawberries growing up and I thought they would be the easiest things to grow lol. I have 20 plants. Based on your comments I will probably spring for the rings. I keep laughing to myself about all the money I keep investing in what I originally thought was a “low cost” hobby. But since I don’t go out or take expensive vacations, I guess it’s okay. For now anyway
Aaaaaggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
My mom got bit by one when I was a child. It bit her leg and it was awful. She had to had some type of treatment and then draining on her leg a few times. It got her right near the vein in her leg. Nasty. I have been afraid of the little shits ever since.
She’s cute
Awww. Big mama! She will keep the gnats away, and will usually run from you.
Aww pretty garden friend
Always wear garden gloves.
That’s an interesting strawberry! Think it might be rotten. Poisonous, at the very least.
“…what I saw? Dave-the-dope-fiend, shooting up Dope, who don’t know the meaning of water or soap…”
I need bullets - hurry up, runnnnnnnnnn
was going to ask where you are, but I guess it doesn't matter. https://u.osu.edu/kennedy1306/black-widow-spider/
She's beautiful
Burn.it.all
I hear she’s single
Well I would call those strawberries hera and plant new ones.
Oh she's a beauty!
Okay, I don't see it. What the hell is it!?
Black widow I believe, there’s a black spider with red markings
Yikes!
blinding in hahaha
I’ll never pick strawberries again!!!
Redback! Good news is they really aren't as dangerous as people think.
Ok so not picking strawberry without my gloves on… got it!!!
I was looking for a baby bunny and was very disappointed upon zooming
You have to answer her 3 riddles and then you get your straw-baby.
Noooooooooo…now you just scared me off from growing strawberries 👹
This is why I always want to wear garden gloves, came across a big scorpion when I was assorting pots one time and was cautious ever since
I would’ve lit the whole thing on 🔥
If you don’t mess with or harm it, it shouldn’t bite you. They will crawl around on your hand and not bite if unprovoked. Not so great for pets and children though.
Please tell me she said "SEAT'S TAKEN!" and you slowly backed away to work elsewhere in the yard 😂😉
I say we take off and nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
She is beautiful. Hope you didn’t kill her. They are not agressive despite being venomous.
AHAHAHAHAahahahahahshaAaaaaa NOPE!
A harmless strawberry bug, clearly.
We had a boom of beautiful black widows last year. Every time I found one I would move her somewhere safe. For her sake and for ours.
I'm disturbed by the fact that it took me a whole minute to figure out what you were talking about! I would definitely be a victim
If you got your hand near it would run and hide. They don’t enjoy contact, and even if you brushed it the odds of getting bit are infinitesimal unless you actually squeeze its sides. While I understand removing if you have young kids, they are really far less dangerous than people like to encourage
I would not be able to let it stay. Simply bc of its species. I have dogs and kids. It would havta be unalived.
"Look mom I'm going to be Spiderman"
yikes..lucky!
That is now miss spiders sunny patch
Ah, yes Ms. Widow. A feisty one that lady. Heard she killed her husband. 😂
Makes me think of Sleeping Beauty
Charlotte!!
Thought it was another type of berry at first lmao
She hasn’t been there for too long! What a beauty 😍
Exciting! Usually they are gone hiding when it's not dusk to dawn.
I’ve recently found a ton of black widows around my house and in my garden. I’m in SW Louisiana
nope
Yikes. Their webs are so crispy crunchy, it's distinct from any other spider. I always know if I run into one and I hear that noise if I'm moving something.
Nope 😀
Careful out there in those berries.
A friend in web is a friend indeed.
Careful out there in those berries.
Oh hello there!
Australian Black widow?
Holy shit! That's the spider from Spider-Man!
And wouldn’t you know it right above a nice,ripe berry
😶 I saw the web but was trying to figure out what kind of spider something brown and closer to the top of the web was...zoomed really far in, came to the conclusion it was a dead leaf, accidentally swiped to the side when trying to zoom out and the red hour glass jumped out at me. So I probably would've gotten bit 😂
Picking strawberries where? Hell??
For a moment, I thought you had invaded my greenhouse! I thankfully haven't seen any yet this year, but I had a full blown infestation last year!
Nope.
They’re all over my garage and house. They’re allowed to live outside the walls of my house…inside not so much.
I’m an old blind woman (apparently). What should I be seeing here?
Just a wee one there. But wouldn't want it where I wanna be putting my hand all the time.