Black Widow Spiders May Start Appearing More in Massachusetts
A recent article by narcity.com is claiming black widows are now more commonly appearing across Canada. Which got me thinking, does that mean the same could happen here?
In short, yes.
First off, most know that spiders, in general, thrive in warm climates and love to hide in the dark. In particular, the black widow spider is typically found in the western and southern parts of the U.S., for those very reasons. It will typically stay away from northern states due to the winter temperatures.
But obviously, it's not cold out right now by any means, and they have means of commuting: suitcases and fruit (grapes in particular) being the most common. Also, who knows years down the line what temperatures will be like with climate change? The threat may not be immediate, but it's definitely there.
The last known case of a black widow spider bite in Massachusetts was just over a year ago involving five-year-old Kailyn Donovan, who did survive.