Black widows galore

Rob called me out to the kitchen this morning to look at a spider in the sink. He had been about to put something in the sink, about to put his hand right through the middle of the web in the process, but had noticed the spider just in time, stopping himself from doing so. He asked if it was a black widow; it sure looked like it but I've never seen one in person before. I went and got the camera, took a few macro shots so I could get a closer look without having to be, um, closer. After getting a good shot, Maya Rudowske showed up at our door, on her way out of town and checking on something with our neighbor. I asked her if it was a black widow; she said that it was and killed it with her sandal. I had no idea that there were black widows here! Wild! She said that they were all over the place. Given that, I'm surprised that I just saw my first one today, rather than sooner.

Just a couple of hours later, I went to put on some sandals that I hadn't worn in a weekÉ and there was another one, on a web from one of my sandals! Two in one day! I'll definitely be checking my shoes more closely from now on.