Spider Silk used to weave this beautiful tapestry

This is a 11-by-4-foot tapestry made completely of spider silk!  It took 4 years to make it and the help of over 1 million spiders.  While these particular spiders were farmed and harvested in Madagascar, Texas has very similar orb spiders.  Yes, they do bite and they are very large.  Austin orb spiders can weave massive webs.  When threatened they will actually swing/jump their webs.  This action makes them seem fearsome and aggressive.  My advise is not to play with them too much.  They may not be poisonous, but that doesn’t stop the bite from hurting.

And if you are not planning on spending the next four years weaving a spider silk tapestry then I would suggest not housing the Texas Orb Spiders in your home.  Better to call your local Austin spider control company.

Austin Spider Control

Want to control Black Widow Spiders? Check out this informative video on Spider Control and specifically black widows:

A few Quick Black Widow spider facts:

1- While they are one of the most deadly spiders, Black widow bites are not usually fatal. If you do feel sever reactions then call your local poison control center, or visit your local hospital.

2- Black widows get their name because they have been known to eat their mates after mating. However, this ritual is not the norm. I guess most husbands are smart enough to run away these days… and FYI male black widows are not always black, they are usually a combo of brown, white, and black with spots and/or strips.

3- Black widows are reclusive by nature. They don’t actively hunt prey. They wait for the prey to come to them. So black widow bites are not common. Usually you have to be antagonizing the black widow in order to be bitten.

4- Black widows are notorious for the red hour glass on their underside, but not all black widows carry this mark. Some only red markings on their bellies, some have red spots on top, and some have no red at all but are pure black. The Black widow does have an overall look is unique to their species, so if it looks like a black widow, red hour glass or not, then it most likely is a black widow.