Black Widow Spider

 

Black Widow Spider

 
 
INTRODUCTION
Hello class.  We are here to learn about the Black Widow Spider.  It lives in the Sonoran Desert.  Stay away from this critter because its venom is fifteen times stronger than a rattlesnake's!
 
Photo: Female black widow spider on a leaf
 
WHO AM I?
I am an arachnid that is black with eight legs.  I am shiny and black.  My abdomen has a red hourglass shape on it.  You don't want a bite from me cause I am the most venomous spider in
North America!
 
 
 
WHERE DO I LIVE?
I am a spider that lives in temperate regions around the world.  I can be found in North and South America, Africa, Australia, and the southern parts of Europe and Asia. I live at an latitude of 45 degrees North and South.

WHAT DO I EAT?
I eat insects, such as cockroaches, beetles, and other arthropods.  To catch my dinner, I spin a web that is rough and sticky.  Since my silk is much stronger than any other arachnid's, it is not easy for my prey to escape.  Once I catch my prey in the web, I puncture the victim’s body and suck out the liquid.

HOW DO I LOOK?
Females are about .5 inches long, and stretch to about 1.5 inches when their legs are spread.  Males are about half the size of females.  They have smaller bodies, but their legs are longer.  Baby Black Widows are mostly white and gradually turn black and develop the red hourglass shape.

HOW DO I REPRODUCE?
Female spiders will sometimes kill and eat the male after mating.  After mating, the female lays several batches of eggs, which have up to 750 in each batch.  The nest containing the eggs is about ½ inch in diameter and suspended in the web.  It is a whitish/tan color and has a paper texture.  Usually only 1 to 12 baby spiders survive due to cannibalism.
FUN FACT ABOUT ME?  
My venom is 15 times stronger than that of a rattlesnake
Babies are not harmful to humans.
I am prey to the Mud-Dauber wasps

WHERE DID YOU FIND INFORMATION ABOUT ME?
On the Internet
 
ACTIVITIES
Kindergarten Activity
    • Draw a picture of the Black Widow Spider and tell your parents one fact about it.

1st/2nd Grade Activity
    • Create a comic strip about the Black Widow Spider. Make it at least four boxes long. Make sure you include at least two facts about the spider in your comic.

3rd Grade Activity
    • Create a short story about the Black Widow Spider. Include three facts in your story. Include detailed pictures to help illustrate your story.



https://docs.google.com/a/asu.edu/document/d/1WE1arRMo1bCF_cFaatfa3PyB8ljDKXhSEmS11kBkMtY/edit?hl=en_US#

References: 
National Geographic
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/black-widow-spider/
  • This website gives an overview of the Black Widow Spider. It tells where it lives and some interesting facts.
DesertUSA
  • This website describes the Black Widow Spider and explains related species and compares them to the Black Widow.
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