Black widows

I found this one in my compost pile, not exactly in it but in one of the cinder blocks we use as a border around the compost pile. At first, I noticed the web. Then I started looking around and found the spider. We have so many black widows around here that I can now recognize their distinctive webs. Believe it or not, I actually found one in my garden bed one time. The bed was heavily mulched, and there was a small crevice in the mulch so the spider apparently took up residence. Why do I have it in a jar? Well, I have a strange fascination for the black widow, perhaps because their bites are venomous; and they have interesting markings. Therefore, sometimes I will catch one and keep it alive for awhile. However, I am extremely careful by wearing gloves if I catch a black widow. Thankfully, I have never been bitten yet.

Spider bites: First aid - MayoClinic