In this interview, Andrade talks about spending months on end in the Australian outback peering into the nocturnal lives of redback spiders (one of about 20 species in the "black widow" genus ...

If you ask an arachnophile, "Are spiders dangerous to humans?" They will likely respond that most spiders are not harmful to humans and play a crucial role in controlling insect populations.

Fortunately, fatalities are fairly rare; the spiders are nonaggressive and bite only in self-defense, such as when someone accidentally sits on them. The animals most at risk from the black widow' ...

Nicholas Brandley didn’t think so, and embraced the study of black widow spiders. “Their fangs don’t even usually pierce human skin!” he says in an effort to be reassuring. While widows ...

Hot take: I think you should let spiders live in your home. They're typically harmless, and—like bats—can help out with pest control around your property. Plus, I'm not a fan of killing ...

Alaska is the only state that doesn't have a type of black widow spider. Although black widow spider bites can be dangerous, ...

The black widow spider can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Its venom is toxic and painful, leaving victims to feel the effects long after the bite. Following is a transcript of the ...

View Full Profile. Learn about our Editorial Policies. The thought of black widow spiders is enough to send chills down one’s spine. Their painful bites contain a cocktail of chemicals, primarily the ...