Why is the black widow called the black widow?

Answer 1

There are a number of Spiders that show a variety of combinations of red and black. A Female Black Widow Spider is black, has a very round abdomen, and usually, but not always, has a telltale red hourglass shape on thethe underside of her abdomen, not her back. A female black widow is also very shiny--think patent leather. According to The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects & Spiders, the red marking may or may not be an hourglass shape; it can appear as two transverse red marks with black in between.

According to http://www.termite.com/spider-identification.html#blackwidow, "The marking may range in color from yellowish orange to red and its shape may range from an hourglass to a dot."

There are other black and red spiders--I'm looking at one right now--that are fuzzy and/or that display patterns different from those of the black widow. Also check out the following website for images of black widows and other spiders: http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=black+widow&search=Search ------------------------- Long story short: Nope, the Black widow has a far more deadly venom.

Answer 2

They get the hourglass because if they bite you, you mite die in an hour.

The original answer has been left because it is amusing. There is no real reason or benefit for the coloring of the black widow spider other than that the black color camouflages them somewhat in the dark areas where they prefer to locate their webs.

Answer 3

Nature has a way of letting other creatures know that there is danger about. the red marking on the back of the red back spider is there to warn you not to step on it and to frighten you away. over the many years a creature develops the survivors traits are strengthened and in the case of the red back spider ( a close relative of the black widow spider) having the marking on the back has proved to be an advantage.

Answer 4

The black widow spider is called the black widow because of the female's cannibalistic behavior after mating. She sometimes eats the male spider after mating, hence the name "black widow" symbolizing the potential danger to the male.

Answer 5

I'm not sure. I think it's natural, but I also think the black widow uses its red spot as a way to keep predators away.

Answer 6

Because it kills it's mate (husband) after they mate so it in a way widows itself and it's a black spider

Answer 7

They are called widow spiders because after they mate the female eats the male spider

Answer 8

mostly black, females having red hourglass shapes on their abdomen. some black widows may have red spots as well.