The Southern black widow spider, Latrodectus mactans (Fabricius), is a venomous spider found throughout the southeastern United States. Widow spiders received their name from the belief that they would kill and consume their mate following copulation. However, the practice was mainly observed in laboratory settings under crowded conditions. It is believed that sexual cannibalism within the widow species in natural settings is more associated with the male’s physical inability to escape rather than the female’s interest in consuming him. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Amanda Eiden and Phil E. Kaufman, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, May 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1000
Tag: Arachnida
Giant Whip Scorpion Mastigoproctus giganteus giganteus (Lucas, 1835) (Arachnida: Thelyphonida (=Uropygi): Thelyphonidae) (EENY493/IN890)
To encounter a giant whip scorpion for the first time can be an alarming experience! What seems like a miniature monster from a horror movie is really a fairly benign creature. While called a scorpion, this arachnid has neither the venom-filled stinger found in scorpions nor the venomous bite found in some spiders. This 4-page fact sheet was written by W.H. Kern Jr. and R.E. Mitchell, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, May 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in890