Evening star., 1949-08-31
This and That
By Charles E. Trace,OeH

One Is not very likely to run into the
black widow spider but no doubt 1t Is best
to be on the watch for it.
The bite is worse than that Of q cobra,
1t is said. The fact that there are better
remedies for it now than when 1t created
a furor a few years ago should permit
no one in garden to become careless.
In the old days. persons bitten were put
in tub of hot water, where they gasped
for breath and life.
Now. the bite is handled better, but 1t
still is no fun.
After all, any one should have a healthy
respect for all spiders.
And the black widow is a meanie. worse
than most, and all the more so because
she is not SO large.
Somehow, many persons feel that the
larger spider, the worse it may be, whereas
often enough the big ones are perfectly
harmless except to the nerves.
The black widow is about the size Of
a 10-cent piece.
1t is covered with a black fuzz and has
red markings on the under side.
The legs are rather long, inches.
which frighten many people, but 1t is not
the legs one need be afraid Of.
The creature is called the "black widow"
because she eats her mate.
Both spiders bite. but the female is the
dangerous one.
They are far more likely to be found in
the South, but specimens have been dis
covered in all the States, and even in
Canada.
Experts tell us that there are certain
lurking places where they are most. likely
to be discovered.
These are dark places under tree stumps
and under logs and rocks. in the outdoors;
In chests, ice boxes, Easements and garages,
indoors.
This spider spins web, and in 1t places
her egg sac.
This is white or buff f-colored. and is
filled with almost 1000 little spiders!
And, what is worse, the old lady turks
nearby to guard it.
And guard it she will. if you try to inter-
fere with her during the incubation period
of about 40 days.
Nature cannot be hurried.
She requires 40 days and nights to bring
forth the perfect little spiders, each one
with neat and poisonous bite of its own.
These egg cases are made and guarded
from spring to fall.
No one should attempt to open one be-
cause the maturity of the inner spiders
will be unknown, and it would be no fun
to have 1000 of them run at you, to say
nothing of having the mamma spider race
toward you on those long legs of hers.
If determined person still desires to
monkey with the egg sac of a black widow
spider, he should wear gloves, remove the
sac carefully. and then crush it suddenly.
or, better, turn it in hot blaze. He will
be doing a service to his country by so
doing.
The mother spider often plays possun.
She has been known to remain motionless
for hours, only to leap up and bite when
least expected.
Water from a hose sometimes will cause
her to play dead. so this method Of rid
dance cannot be depended upon.
If bitten, the thing to do is to apply tinc-
t,lre Of iodine at once, and then get in a
hot bath, while some one else is putting
in call for the doctor.
But the best thing to do is not to get
bitten by this or any other spider. This
will mean, in most cases. just little ele-
mentary caution when in the woods. or
fields. or prying in dark places indoors
or out.
And a healthy caution about strange
things-such as spiders, for instance. A
healthy respect for them and their ways
and their place in nature. Just what this
place is. in respect to the black widow, is
undetermined. Most persons will think
determination for 1t and the mosquito and
the rat Is the best solution. and they will
be right.