Removal or destruction of the egg sacks may help control the population. This spider is resistant to many insecticides. The black widow survive mainly by their sense of touch. They have no ears, and their eight eyes are of limited value. Breath by means of book lungs, a series of leaf-like plates in abdomen cavity.
Air is drawn into chamber and expelled by muscular action.
The black widow spider, Lactrodectus mactans, is probably the most widely recognized of the dangerously poisonous spiders found in North Carolina. Its close relative, the Black Widow Spider, is probably the most common cause of serious spider bites overseas. The black widow is not aggressive unless agitated, although she is prone to bite when guarding her egg sac. However, her venomous bite causes muscle spasms and breathing difficulty in humans and may be fatal. The Black Widow is a cobweb spider.