This lovely lady was found several summers ago on the side of my building. She has made her den in a drain pipe next to some pepper plants, and would dash out to investigate what I was up to each time I would harvest a pepper. Most people are freaked just a wee bit over spiders and especially spiders such as the Black Widow.
Not all creatures that roam the earth are harmless, and certainly this spider fits into that category. Her bite can be deadly to the weak, or it can leave massive wounds that can be life threatening to the strong. She is not to be toyed with, or her vengeance shall be a mark you wear forever. Putting all of that aside, spiders server their purpose and the purpose that they server is very important and beneficial to man.
Without spiders, even those that are potentially lethal, we humans would be overrun by insects such as flies, mosquitos, and even cockroach. We may not appreciate the presence of spiders, but we should.
As an entomologist, I accept spiders. They are not insects, but they fall into the category of entomology through forensics. Forensic Entomology includes almost anything that can be lethal to man. A forensic entomologist uses a broader set of skills to do their job. That includes understanding and working with spiders if needed.
If you have had an encounter with a spider, I'd like to hear about it.
