A woman in western Newfoundland took her kids and left her house after finding what she believes to be a black widow spider in her basement around 2 a.m. this morning. She called the RNC, who then called the Newfoundland Insectarium for advice. Black widows, found in temperate regions around the world, are identified by the coloured, hourglass-shaped mark on their abdomens. The venom from their bite is said to be 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake’s and can cause muscle aches, nausea and paralysis of the diaphragm in humans that can make breathing difficult. Experts with the insectarium told officers it’s not the first time a black widow has been discovered in the province. They said the spiders have been known to be carried into the province via grocery store produce.
