So I was backpacking on the Lone Star Trail and set up camp in a nice spot. I placed my hat on top of a stump and went about my business. The next morning, as I was getting ready to move on, I pick up my hat, and before PLACING IT ON MY HEAD, I decided to look:
What is this black dot in my hat?
Thank goodness I checked!
Latrodectus mactans, the (southern) Black widow, is a highly venomous species of spider in the genus Latrodectus. They are well known for the distinctive black and red coloring of the female of the species and for the fact that she will occasionally eat her mate after reproduction. The species is native to the United States of America and Mexico. The female black widow’s venom is particularly harmful to humans (males almost never bite humans). The injection of venom from these species is a comparatively dangerous or lethal bite.
SCARY!