Correspondence

Black Widow Spider

N Engl J Med 1997; 337:1248October 23, 1997

Article

To the Editor:

Thanks to Dr. Stack (June 5 issue)1 for the stunning photograph and description of the black widow spider. However, in my area, I usually encounter black widow spiders from the dorsum, not the ventrum, so the hourglass marking is not visible. The dorsum is also characteristic. Black widow spiders have a shiny, fat abdomen that looks like a big black grape, with the longest legs extending out in front.

For those foolish enough to retrieve wood from the woodpile in the dark, the unmistakable crinkling, crackling sound of a black widow spider's web breaking is an early warning sign to retreat immediately.

Elizabeth T. Matthews, M.D.
University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131

1 References