 THE BLACK WIDOW SPIDER They are usually associated with dry, undisturbed piles of firewood, old lumber, dry crawl spaces, outbuildings, rock piles, or bales of hay. Black widows are shy, retiring spiders and bite only reluctantly, usually only when molested. Widows are more aggressive when they are protecting an egg sac. The bite of the widow spider causes little immediate pain and may go unnoticed. Slight local swelling and reddening at the bite site are early signs, followed by intense muscular pain, rigidity of the abdomen and legs, difficulty in breathing, and nausea. |