Black widows are solitary year-round except during this violent mating ritual. These spiders spin large webs in which females suspend a cocoon with hundreds of eggs. Spiderlings disperse soon ...

The black widow spider can be found on every continent except ... But it seldom bites unless threatened or protecting its eggs.

Sadly, I also found a squashed hatchling spider when I looked more closely under the microscope. I assume some eggs had hatched, with the remaining eggs being non-viable.' Searching for answers ...