I discovered this unwanted visitor near my front door. I would say she is about 3/4 inch long. Even at that length they are a danger and creepy. I was able to get a few photos before I quickly ended her life. Of course this caused me to do some research on these creatures of darkness and myth. They belong to a group known as cobweb spiders. Black widows get their common name from the popular belief that the female eats the male after mating, a phenomenon which rarely happens in nature. I’m sure that’s reassuring for any male black widow spider. Black widow venom is reported to be 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake’s, but because spiders deliver far less venom than snakes do, their bites — though painful — are a serious risk only to the very young and the very old. I place myself in the old category. Although I do not like spiders, I do not bother them, seldom killing them and aware they are a part of this world. They have a role of predator as well as prey. I did not like the fact that this gal was at my front door so that’s why I killed her. Then after I killed her my mind began to wonder: Where are the others? Did they see me kill her? Will they want revenge? Creepy to me!