The St. Catherine’s (ON) Standard has an interesting fact in a story about black widow spiders.  Excerpt and link:

The black widow packs some of the most potent venom in the arachnid kingdom. A bite can be dangerous to children and the elderly, Thomas said, but the tiny spider is rarely able to inject a fatal dose into a human.

When it comes to grapes, the spider’s reputation isn’t actually very black.

The black widow provides excellent pest control in southern U.S. vineyards.

And if you see one in Ontario, it’s not necessarily an import.

The northern black widow’s range extends as far as the north shore of Lake Erie. So you might find them hanging out in Leamington, Point Pelee or maybe even Fort Erie, said Ted Berdowski, a Thorold pest-management expert and member of Canadian Arachnologist.

Full story:

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1347108

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