Reply #31: Umm, they live there too... [View All]

[TZ]

Geographical Distribution Southern black widow Latrodectus mactans (Fabricius)is found in southern New England states to Florida west to eastern Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas being more common in the southern range.
Western black widow L. hesperus (Chamberlin & Ivie)is found in Western Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas north to the adjacent Canadian provinces and west to the Pacific Coast States.
The "brown widow" L. geometricus (C.L. Koch) is found in California and southern Florida and throughout Africa.
The Northern widow L. variolus (Walckenaer) is found in New England and adjacent Canada south to Florida, and west to eastern Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, being more common in the northern part of the range.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also here's better advice on if you are bitten:
First-aid

Apply ice pack, house hold ammonia or alcohol directly to the bite area to relieve local swelling and pain. Apply tincture of iodine or other antiseptic to the site of the bite to prevent infection. Bed rest is indicated. If symptoms appear sever or in the neurotic envenomation of young children, the patient should be taken to a physician at once. Bring along the spider for identification, if possible, should antivenin be available. Antivenin is available to treat some widow spider bites