Black Widow

• The black widow, or Latrodectus mactan, belongs to the family of widow spiders. It is typically the size of a quarter and has a yellow or red hourglass-shaped mark on the underside of its abdomen. Black widows appear shiny to the naked eye and do not usually bite humans unless provoked. Chattanooga residents are advised to shake clothes and shoes before putting them on to ensure that no spiders, especially black widows or brown recluses, have gone to rest inside them.