Posted on 03/14/2023 6:42:44 AM PDT by Red Badger
Black widow populations are declining in parts of the southern United States as the spider becomes prey for the non-native brown widow, according to new research. Photo courtesy of National History Museum of Utah March 14 (UPI) -- Black widow spiders could face extinction in parts of the southern United States, as they become prey for the non-native brown widow, according to new research.
The research, published Monday in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America, found that black widows are slowly being displaced by invading brown widows in a pattern first discovered a decade ago.
While there are three native species of black widow spiders in the United States, brown widows are believed to be native to Africa, according to researchers who say brown widows are now seen on all continents except Antarctica.
Since its introduction into Florida, the non-native brown widow has displaced the state's southern black widow and has quickly expanded into urban areas as far north as Kansas and as far west as California.
While black widows are known for their poisonous bite, they are not aggressive if unprovoked. In comparison, brown widows grow faster and are twice as fertile, producing more egg sacs than southern black widows.
Brown widows are also six times more likely to kill and consume "shy" southern black widows, according to researchers, than other cobweb spiders.
As the study ruled out competition for scarce prey or disease as the reason behind the decline in black widow spider populations, the study is the first to blame aggressive predation by brown widows.
Researchers found that brown widow spiders killed and ate black widows in 80% of their confrontations. While some of the encounters ended with the two spiders cohabiting, none ended with the black widows showing aggression.
"Brown widows are not labeled invasive. They're still non-native," said study lead author Louis Coticchio, a spider biologist specializing in the widow and recluse families, in an interview with Gizmodo. "If it does come out that the introduction of brown widows is absolutely the main reason why we're seeing a huge decline in black widow populations, I would love to see the attitude towards them changed."
Sounds racist to me.
Black widow population drops as black husbands live longer.
“Brown widow venom causes less severe reactions to humans than black widows, and bites to people are very rare.”
Weird. Black widows are larger, stronger and much more venomous than brown widows. Yet the brown widows are more aggressive and fecund so they will win and the black widows will go extinct.
Something Americans better take to heart and fast.
Are they poisonous? If so, more or less than the black widows?
I kill em all and let God sort em out....
Are brown widows reclusive?
An allegory for the events at the southern border?
There is one less black widow in Alabama. I squished one while cleaning out my garage last weekend. Good riddance.
Are they talking about the Brown Recluse? If so, why don’t they say so? Very dangerous critters...
The jokes write themselves . . .
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
No. Not the brown recluse. Totally different. Don’t even look the same.
Another dynamic event in nature driven by man-made climate change and evil Republican capitalist pigs?
Skinner: Well, I was wrong. The lizards are a godsend.
Lisa: But isn't that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we're overrun by lizards?
Skinner: No problem. We simply release wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They'll wipe out the lizards.
Lisa: But aren't the snakes even worse?
Skinner: Yes, but we're prepared for that. We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat.
Lisa: But then we're stuck with gorillas!
Skinner: No, that's the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.
Brown Widow:
I try not to look at either!!!!!! Had to squint to get by the picture of the Black Widow....
They only go out on weekends and come home early.
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