Are there black widows in North Carolina?
Short answer
Yes
Yes. The black widow lives in North Carolina. Open records come from 27 counties.
Where in North Carolina
- None
- 1 to 2 records
- 3 to 9
- 10 to 49
- 50 or more
Black widows across the US
- Lives here
- Rare records
- Gone
- Not here
How to recognize one
Black widow Latrodectus mactans, L. variolus, L. hesperus
- Shiny black female with a round abdomen
- Red hourglass or two red marks under the abdomen
- Messy, strong web low to the ground, often in garages, wood piles and water meters
Medically significant. Venom affects nerves and can cause strong muscle pain and cramps. Deaths in the US are very rare.
Related species in North Carolina
Often mistaken for black widows
- Black Widow vs False Widow False widow: harmless, lives in North Carolina
- Black Widow vs Brown Widow Brown widow: painful, rarely serious, lives in North Carolina
Questions
Are there black widows in North Carolina?
Yes. The black widow lives in North Carolina. Open records come from 27 counties.
What related species live in North Carolina?
Brown widow. See the section below.
What do black widows look like?
Shiny black female with a round abdomen. Red hourglass or two red marks under the abdomen. Messy, strong web low to the ground, often in garages, wood piles and water meters.