Sexual cannibalism
Videos
Sexual cannibalism is when an animal, usually the female, cannibalizes its mate prior to, during, or after copulation. This trait is observed in many arachnid orders, carnivorous insects, several crus
The prevalence of sexual cannibalism gives several species of Latrodectus the common name "black widow spider".
A female Chinese mantis eats a male copulating with her.
A member of Nephila eating another of the same species
Starling Feeding Offspring
Latrodectus
Videos
Latrodectus is a broadly distributed genus of spiders informally called the widow spiders, with several species that are commonly known as the true widows. This group is composed of those often called
Sexual cannibalism
…The prevalence of sexual cannibalism gives several species of Latrodectus the common name "black widow spider". Sexual cannibalism is when an animal, usually the female, cannibalizes its mate prior to, during, or after…
Latrodectus hesperus Berkeley, California
Juvenile southern black widow (Latrodectus mactans)
Ventral side of a L. geometricus displaying the hourglass marking
Dorsal side of a mature male L. hesperus in Colorado, United States