Lactrodectus mactens
- Black widows undergo an unusual type of sexual reproduction
- Sexual reproduction for black widows is notoriously dangerous, especially for the male, as the female weighs 30 times that of the male and if the male isn't cautious and lets the female bite him, he gets poisoned by the venom of the female and dies
- When a male wants to reproduce, he inserts his sperm
- In order for a female to recognize an approaching male who is ready to undergo sexual reproduction he must shake the web of the female
- Then, if the female accepts and shows a willingness to mate with the male, he begins to carefully insert his papal organs into an opening of the female, which is called the spermatheca
- The spermatheca acts as a sperm collector for the spider, and also acts as a storage spot for the sperm
- If the eggs reach the spermatheca in time, the spermatheca acts as the spot of fertilization for the female
- These fertilized eggs are then wrapped in a small web where they will eventually hatch
This is a picture showing a female spider wrapping her newly fertilized eggs in a small web where they young black widows will eventually hatch out of it
This is a video showing the mating process of black widow spiders, that emphasizes just how dangerous this whole process really is