Adult males are much smaller than females and are considered harmless. Black widows feed on insects, centipedes and other spiders. The Western black widow occurs in the western portion of the United States. It is similar in appearance to the black widow however, its hourglass marking is often divided into two separate spots. Its preferred habitat is a rodent burrow but it can be found in urban settings.
Western widows are larger and tend to live longer than their southern relatives.
The term widow originated from stories of the female consuming the male after mating. While such behavior may occur in captive situations where the male has little room for retreat, it is not common in nature.