I am not a person who enjoys killing anything, as such I tend to try to chase insects (bees, wasps, flies, etc) outside or catch them or release them out of doors (especially spiders and other crawly insects). That being said I cannot warrant something poisonous living in my house. I know that these animals are not necessarily aggressive, but I have no desire to risk a chance encounter with something that can make cause me considerable ill effect.
Earlier tonight I had to kill a Black Widow that I found in my house. I found a certain reluctance in doing this. The Black Widow is a really beautiful animal; pitch black only broken by a crimson hour glass on the belly, as if there is a given amount of time before the skilled predator strikes. Latrodectus mactans is a fascinating species that just has the ill luck to possess a very potent venom which in turn as very significant effects on humans. From what I have read the venom of Black Widows is actually very strong, rivaling that of even cobras and coral snakes, but they possess very small jaws which can only deliver a minor bite. Because of the small bit the amount of venom distributed is minute, and while still strong enough to cause significant discomfort is usually not fatal (though it can still cause very painful effects and is potentially deadly if not carefully monitored).
So what did I do with this poisonous animal? I killed it. Not proud by any say, it was just another animal trying to survive, but I have no desire to have an encounter that may lead to a poisonous bite. Sorry to the spider I killed, I am sure your species will continue to live even considering my act.
As such I have been curious to see a wild black widow for some time (though I was hoping it wouldn’t be in my place of residence). My friends Evan and Meg have reported encountering a couple Black Widows at their house (they might also have a Copperhead living nearby). What surprises me is how small the spider is. For some reason I pictured a relatively large creature and really it was incredibly tiny, not much bigger than a corn kernel. But still beautiful with it;s pitch black color and that red hourglass. Sad I had to dispose of it.
A Black Widow Spider
