Only two types of spiders in north-central Texas and southwestern Oklahoma have powerful enough venom to be of medical importance. These are the Black Widow and Brown Recluse spiders.

News How to protect yourself from the black widow, America’s most venomous spider Updated: Aug. 08, 2023, 7:58 a.m. | Published: Aug. 08, 2023, 7:47 a.m.

The female black widow is easily identified by a red hourglass shape on the underside of its black abdomen; the mature male is typically brown to blackish with red and black stripes. The spider ...

Many false widows have abdomen shapes and markings that resemble those of black widow spiders. Photographs via Getty Images,Left: Danut Vieru, Center: Stephanie Phillips, Right: Olimbek Shirinov ...

Only two types of spiders in north-central Texas and southwestern Oklahoma have powerful enough venom to be of medical importance. These are the Black Widow and Brown Recluse spiders.

Rating high on the scare-o-meter are black widow spiders. With their infamous hourglass marking and supposedly deadly bite, they’re among the most feared and loathed spiders in North America.

They’re helping you, not hurting you.” Editor’s note: This article was updated at 5:35 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, to correct that the red hourglass shape is on black widow spider’s abdomens.

While these spiders have venom glands, venom is actually present throughout the spider’s body and even in her eggs. The female black widow’s fangs are long enough to penetrate animal and human ...

Brown and black widow spiders are just two of the four species of widow spiders in Florida — all venomous. The southern black widow and the red widow can also be found in parts of the Sunshine ...