We have all heard about the black widow spider before, but what about its lesser known cousin the brown widow? Probably not, because this spider has always been found in tropical areas, until recently that is. Lately residents of the Southeastern United States have been reporting brown widow sightings, and they are only increasing. Entomologists located in this area have also been documenting its increased prevalence in the USA, and this is not good news since the brown widow is even more venomous than its relative the black widow.
Then again, saying that the brown widow is even more venomous than the black widow is true but a little misleading. For example, the brown widows venom is more potent, but it does not expel nearly as much venom as the black widow. Also, the brown widow is even more shy around people than the black widow, so being bitten by one is highly unlikely.
If you have caught the brown widow craze and you want to protect yourself from this invasive eight legged menace then you should follow the advice of entomologists and spend an afternoon cleaning your yard of all that brush and dead vegetation, since this is where the brown widow likes to spend its days. And if you are a spider enthusiast and want to find a brown widow for yourself then be sure to wear gloves because serious infections are not unheard of with this spider’s bite.
If the brown widow is typically found in tropical areas, then what factors made its migration to the USA possible?
