I now realise it's a Black Widow!

[Matt Savage]

Hi. We are working on a 1943 Willy's Jeep which has relatively recently come from California. Whilst taking the vehicle apart yesterday we found a small black spider. I took the little fellow outside to set it free. I took a couple of pictures as it looked quite neat.
Anyway, I've just been looking up spiders, and it turns out it's a female Black Widow!
Should I go outside and try and find it?
Should I tell the people that live near by to our workshop?
Should I run around with my arms in the air screaming?!

I've been trying to add pictures, but I can't!
One picture is here,

Picasa Web Albums - Matt Savage - 1943 Willys J...

and another here,

Picasa Web Albums - Matt Savage - 1943 Willys J...

Please let me know what I should do!

Thanks,
Matt Savage

[Richard G.]

Hmmm, where abouts in Derbyshire, just so I can give it a wide birth for a while...

[Matt Savage]

Near Tansley (which is near Matlock)!!

[wildherbalian85]

So long as know body encounters it i wouldn't worry about it. The birds will probably have it and if not then it will just live out its life. I think there would need to be more then one and also some eggs before getting to worried about it colonizing your area.

[babybottle]

What about the danger of it biting someone or their dog? I'd let an expert take it to a zoo or something.

[Matt Savage]

Ah-ha! That's good!
It's in quite a good place for food and shelter, so I guess it won't wonder off.
Also we're in the middle of the countryside, so I was hoping a bird or something might eat it up!
But surely they're quite 'hard' in the wildlife world? Could a Black Widow kill a bird that was trying to eat it?

Thanks,
Matt

[Matt Savage]

Hi. yes, I wondered about it biting a dog or cat. But I guess it's not possible to catch it now it's off in the wild?
I know roughly where it is (in amongst a lot of weeds / stone wall) but it must be like finding a needle in a haystack?

I worried now!

Cheers,
Matt

[No.9 Spider]

Possibly a Western Black Widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus. There are quite a few Latrodectus species in the family of which the Black Widow - Latrodectus mactans is most notorious. Despite the infamy of the Black Widow, there is only a 4% fatality rate from it's bite and these being either elderly or very young children. It has a neurotoxic venom that attacks the nervous system is a very painful bite though rarely fatal.
The other species of Latrodectus are less venemous and apparently may even inject less venom.
Your spider shouldn't be a real threat to anyone and it's unlikely you should encounter it again, though having said that, it will head to somewhere dark and dry - such as your workshop .
These spiders quite often found on imported vehicles, I've known a number of cases over the years.
I've also had a Latrodectus mactans from Derbyshire before where an employee had found it in a plastics factory (resin imported from Mexico would have been the source). As the company had been importing resin for about five years I advised that the factory having dark storage areas with wooden pallets would be an ideal breeding ground and he should cautiously advise management. The factory was shut for days and he was not popular with management, though how popular a victim would be with management if he was suing for being bitten I don't know.
Bottom line, I'd not worry over this but capture it if you see it. If she's gravid, not many of the young will survive and they shouldn't reproduce with their siblings.


No.9 Spider

[Matt Savage]

Aaaarrgh!! I'm even more worried now!

I'm sure the winter will kill him (her!), even in the workshop. We have ice on the INSIDE of the windows in the winter.

But there is a house about 20 meters away from our workshop. Should I tell them? Will they go bonkers (they're my land lord)

And there are a couple of cats that wonder around. Oh, and little dogs (it is a farm)

Will the spider have moved far from where I put it? Should I Napalm the whole weed/wall area?!!

what's that crawling up my leg? Oh, it's nothing.... why is my head inching?!
is something in my shirt.....


cheers,
Matt (paranoid)

[shenk1]

It's behind you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!