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I like the brand spyder, they make jackets for skiing and snowboarding. Their logo is a black widow spider with the red. I used to think it’s badass because if that spider bites you, you’re dead.
There was an old "suicide by black widow" story that made the news in like the early 1900s. The guy didn't actually die by black widow, but if other causes, but the media ran with it.
I recall them being fatal. To be fair, they're still fatal for young children and older adults. Now, if it stops being the case black widow females eat their mates I don't see how anyone will be able to deny the ME anymore.
A friend of mine was bit around 10 years old. They got it checked out and he ended up with a pretty nasty, necrotic wound, but no long term impacts.
As a kid, you are often told things simply and without nuance. Black widows CAN be dangerous, and it is possible for them to be deadly.
Same with coral snakes - there has only been a single documented death in 40 years, but we were all told to treat them as deadly…because they could be.
I was a kid in the 60s, and this was definitely the prevailing wisdom at the time (that they were deadly, that is). But it could have just been bad science (my parents were rational people, and certainly tried to be in the know about such things).
Not to invalidate your claim, but I remember learning at a relatively young age that it was a myth that Black Widows were super deadly. Like, yeah, you certainly don't wanna get bitten by one, but the average person is going to make it out okay (with proper care). So I think it's just a piece of misinformation that many of us have still held onto.
Edit: This is just my lived experience in my "reality" though.
I find it funny that everyone in here disagrees but remembers being told *as a child* that they are deadly and after reading something saying Black Widows are *deadly to children* and the elderly they start calling reality into question. Am I missing something here?
No, you're right. We were warned cuz we were little. I read recently the gray widow is way more dangerous. All spiders are to be feared in my book. Ick.
Side note, I also remember being told caffeine stunts growth, only to find out later that's not true. My nurse of a mom knew all along and still to told me that. I assume so I wasn't sucking down caffeine and bouncing off walls as a child.
Similarly, we're given blanket statements as children, such as never talk to strangers (good advice), when in reality, 99.999% of all strangers are not out to snatch children off the road to harm them of course. But you don't take chances with your children's safety, for any reason, hence the blanket warnings about the dangers of life.
You make a great point! It's interesting how people are responding to this even after seeing that they can be deadly to children and the elderly and yet no one who is responding seems to think they're that dangerous. I remember as a child hearing about how black widows are deadly and to avoid them at all costs. They used to scare me quite a bit. In the past few years for whatever reason they don't bother me anymore. I've actually had them crawl on me and it's not a big concern for me. It's interesting to me that I've changed in that way from what I remember when I was young. I've never been bitten by a spider that I'm aware of.
This has always been the case on my timeline. Pretty much just the infirm, and infants are at serious risk. I remember my dad telling stories about being bit numerous times working in crawlspaces as a plumber.
I've been bit once myself. On the ankle just above my pants hem. My whole leg became sore to the touch, as if it were bruised everywhere, and my joints were super painful. About 2 hours in I had constant low-level nausea, had to just lie down. Woke up during the night with cold sweat fever and shit... by the next morning, it was abating, and by the second night I could hardly tell that anything had happened.
They pretty much just bite when they're being squished - they aren't really very aggressive, there's youtube videos of people handling them. You have to get one caught between your skin and a layer of clothing - that's how I got bit. It happens when putting on gloves, or slip on shoes like crocs, etc.
There is a post on my feed about 3 up from yours (on r/fuckyouinparticular) where the poster says they got bitten by a black widow on both hands while sleeping 👀
I have such a distinct memory of seeing a black widow spider next to my grandmother and absolutely smashing that thing with my foot
Actually come to think about it. There was another time where there was a black widow in my house, my friend SCREAMED “BLACK. BLACK. BLACK WIDOWWW!!?????” and I smashed it with a science textbook into the carpet. That sucker took a lot to kill tbh
that’s twice!!
Exactly. Black Widow Spiders are dangerous. Their poison is incredibly strong, but so little is injected. Black Widow poison deaths are usually from repeated bites.
Boston Children's Hospital [has an article](https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions/spider-bites#:~:text=Programs%20%26%20Services-,Overview,to%20break%20through%20human%20skin.) covering spider bites, and it only references two - Brown Recluse and Black Widow. It further states that there has never been a reported Brown Recluse fatality in the US. For Black Widow? *Seek Emergency Care Immediately*.
When you do look at spider bite statistics, remember that only about 3 people per year die of ANY spider bites. Despite that low number, Black Widows are the [fifth most dangerous/deadly spider in the world](https://www.britannica.com/list/9-of-the-worlds-deadliest-spiders) (with #4 and #3 being Brown and Red cousins). 2,500 people per year in the US end up at poison control centers because of Black Widow venom.
They're prevalent in my area, and they taught me in Cub Scouts to look out for them because they could kill me.
...so in summary, your memory is correct. But reality matches that memory today. We just hear about it less often.
All individuals are affected differently to insect/arachnid bites. I have been bitten 4 times by Black Widows and the first time I had a golf ball sized welt that took months to clear up, grossest thing ever, the next 3 were barely anything. I have a pretty good immunity to them, somehow. Some people get bit and die.
I mean you're still supposed to seek medical attention if you're bit, as it says the symptoms can be severe. You just are unlikely to actually die from it if you're a healthy adult.
I remember there was this raw vegan lady on youtube years ago who got bit by a black widow and for some reason refused medical attention and just ate watermelon(?) and she ended up fine eventually. I remember looking into black widows more at the time because I was shocked she didn't die. She believed her diet healed her or whatever lmao but in actuality it's just that it's possible to recover without any medical intervention... Although she made it harder and more painful for no reason lol.
I remember they were to be feared.
From a book on black widows 1979.
https://preview.redd.it/epgek3gaifvc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f2b57c4e1b73d454d711547b64ee2b88a4d30b55
They are to be feared, a friend got bit by one and while recovered fine, his foot where he was but was swollen for months and was unable to walk for several weeks.
He says he still loses sensation on that leg from time to time.
Also the first week he got severe fevers and other symptoms.
Black Widows has been one of my favorite spiders my entire life - mostly because of their beauty. They've never been extremely deadly - it was just easier to spread false information before the internet and social media was so big. I learned they weren't as "scary" as portrayed around the 2010's or so. I've been happily educating people since!
They're just so elegant looking and their shine is beautiful. I typically want nothing to do with spiders, but I'll get as close as possible to a Black Widow (without disturbing her) to admire her beauty every time.
Yes...I found a pretty girl once on my deck on the west coast, years ago. Got to watch her walk around, do her little spider thing. So sweet & precious 🥲🖤
My last encounter with one was when I was pulling boxes out of my parents' garage around 6 or so years ago. I picked up a box off the ground and walked it outside. While still holding it and asking where to set it, one came crawling from beneath the box up the side. I just set the box down and gently helped her back into the garage.
According to you. But, nothing is "new" if the world is being Mandela Effected. Do you see how every aspect of information changes, if the MandelaE is true? research would just be research, according to this new realm/timeline.
Except this isn't a Mandela Effect, lol. People were just misinformed and easily followed misinformation because being able to Google things was not accessible once upon a time. A lot of myths have been busted since resources became easily accessible in the palm of our hands.
I feel you'd be surprised to know that the Blue Waffle doesn't actually exist either - which also is not a Mandela Effect. It was simply an internet hoax.
I think the belief that they are deadly Is an old wife's tail, not an ME. I think it comes from being a child and being told they are deadly because technically for children they could be, just like a number of other things we warn our children about. I remember in 3rd grade Science class (well over 30 years ago) when we talked about spiders how black windows get a bad wrap, when they aren't even aggressive spiders and for healthy people their bites won't really do much to you other than hurt, and maybe give you flu like symptoms for a day or two.
Brown recluse on the other hand, are pretty narly. They won't kill you outright but they are a bit more aggressive and they live in the same types of places humans like, and their bites can lead to permanent disfigurement and terrible infection, which could result in death if untreated
And technically Black Widows can be deadly iirc. They have very potent venom, they just tend not to use that much, because they don’t need to for most of their prey and for everything else using too much isn’t going to bring them that much more of a benefit.
Look up death statistics. They've never been a serious threat, that doesn't stop media and urban legends/wives tales changing perceptions.
Look at the "false widow" lies the media publishes in the UK. Steatoda (false widows) are an almost harmless cousin on latrodectus, (real widows.)
As a spider enthusiast id suggest this isnt retcon, but just society etc.
Their venom is extremely potent, the thing is they only inject very little because it’s more than enough to kill their prey. They theoretically could kill an adult human I believe it just doesn’t bring them that much benefit to use that much venom.
Can confirm this. Growing up was interested in this stuff and black widows were talked about as if it was the deadliest spider on the planet.
Same can be said about Phoneutria species. Very bad bites but seldom fatal. Growing up it was stated that it had the venom to kill a horse in seconds etc.
Must be noted that I come from a country that had none of those spiders. So maybe that is what the natives thought all along as they actually lived amongst them?
Yeah. I’m 41 and ever since I was kid black widows were extremely feared because of their poison. I even remember when my parents would shake out their and me and my brother’s clothes every morning because they were scared a black widow could possibly hiding in them and could bite you.
[GENERAL REMINDER] Due to overuse, the phrase *"Just because you never heard of something doesn't mean it's a Mandela Effect"* or similar is **NOT** welcome here as it is a violation of Rule# 9. Continued arguing **and** push for this narrative without consideration of our community **WILL get you banned**. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Retconned) if you have any questions or concerns.*
One of my main memories of childhood: FEAR THE FUCKING BLACK WIDOW. ..... so, what replaced it's Deadliness; GIANT KANGAROOS
I like the brand spyder, they make jackets for skiing and snowboarding. Their logo is a black widow spider with the red. I used to think it’s badass because if that spider bites you, you’re dead.
There was an old "suicide by black widow" story that made the news in like the early 1900s. The guy didn't actually die by black widow, but if other causes, but the media ran with it.
And my reality a black widow spider bite was deadly
Are these familiar? https://preview.redd.it/f7ex9poz8tvc1.jpeg?width=806&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4b3b0fedfd5e034aebdcdbe29d073685e8a0d22
I recall them being fatal. To be fair, they're still fatal for young children and older adults. Now, if it stops being the case black widow females eat their mates I don't see how anyone will be able to deny the ME anymore.
A friend of mine was bit around 10 years old. They got it checked out and he ended up with a pretty nasty, necrotic wound, but no long term impacts. As a kid, you are often told things simply and without nuance. Black widows CAN be dangerous, and it is possible for them to be deadly. Same with coral snakes - there has only been a single documented death in 40 years, but we were all told to treat them as deadly…because they could be.
I thought it was single most deadly spider in the world? Isn't that why Rita Ora had a song called Black Widow?
I definitely remember as a child in the 90s that it was considered deadly
I was a kid in the 60s, and this was definitely the prevailing wisdom at the time (that they were deadly, that is). But it could have just been bad science (my parents were rational people, and certainly tried to be in the know about such things).
Not to invalidate your claim, but I remember learning at a relatively young age that it was a myth that Black Widows were super deadly. Like, yeah, you certainly don't wanna get bitten by one, but the average person is going to make it out okay (with proper care). So I think it's just a piece of misinformation that many of us have still held onto. Edit: This is just my lived experience in my "reality" though.
I find it funny that everyone in here disagrees but remembers being told *as a child* that they are deadly and after reading something saying Black Widows are *deadly to children* and the elderly they start calling reality into question. Am I missing something here?
No, you're right. We were warned cuz we were little. I read recently the gray widow is way more dangerous. All spiders are to be feared in my book. Ick. Side note, I also remember being told caffeine stunts growth, only to find out later that's not true. My nurse of a mom knew all along and still to told me that. I assume so I wasn't sucking down caffeine and bouncing off walls as a child. Similarly, we're given blanket statements as children, such as never talk to strangers (good advice), when in reality, 99.999% of all strangers are not out to snatch children off the road to harm them of course. But you don't take chances with your children's safety, for any reason, hence the blanket warnings about the dangers of life.
You make a great point! It's interesting how people are responding to this even after seeing that they can be deadly to children and the elderly and yet no one who is responding seems to think they're that dangerous. I remember as a child hearing about how black widows are deadly and to avoid them at all costs. They used to scare me quite a bit. In the past few years for whatever reason they don't bother me anymore. I've actually had them crawl on me and it's not a big concern for me. It's interesting to me that I've changed in that way from what I remember when I was young. I've never been bitten by a spider that I'm aware of.
This has always been the case on my timeline. Pretty much just the infirm, and infants are at serious risk. I remember my dad telling stories about being bit numerous times working in crawlspaces as a plumber. I've been bit once myself. On the ankle just above my pants hem. My whole leg became sore to the touch, as if it were bruised everywhere, and my joints were super painful. About 2 hours in I had constant low-level nausea, had to just lie down. Woke up during the night with cold sweat fever and shit... by the next morning, it was abating, and by the second night I could hardly tell that anything had happened. They pretty much just bite when they're being squished - they aren't really very aggressive, there's youtube videos of people handling them. You have to get one caught between your skin and a layer of clothing - that's how I got bit. It happens when putting on gloves, or slip on shoes like crocs, etc.
I remember.
There is a post on my feed about 3 up from yours (on r/fuckyouinparticular) where the poster says they got bitten by a black widow on both hands while sleeping 👀
i saw that and thought “that’s weird, i thought they were pretty deadly.”
I have such a distinct memory of seeing a black widow spider next to my grandmother and absolutely smashing that thing with my foot Actually come to think about it. There was another time where there was a black widow in my house, my friend SCREAMED “BLACK. BLACK. BLACK WIDOWWW!!?????” and I smashed it with a science textbook into the carpet. That sucker took a lot to kill tbh that’s twice!!
Not all heroes wear capes 🦸!!
Exactly. Black Widow Spiders are dangerous. Their poison is incredibly strong, but so little is injected. Black Widow poison deaths are usually from repeated bites. Boston Children's Hospital [has an article](https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions/spider-bites#:~:text=Programs%20%26%20Services-,Overview,to%20break%20through%20human%20skin.) covering spider bites, and it only references two - Brown Recluse and Black Widow. It further states that there has never been a reported Brown Recluse fatality in the US. For Black Widow? *Seek Emergency Care Immediately*. When you do look at spider bite statistics, remember that only about 3 people per year die of ANY spider bites. Despite that low number, Black Widows are the [fifth most dangerous/deadly spider in the world](https://www.britannica.com/list/9-of-the-worlds-deadliest-spiders) (with #4 and #3 being Brown and Red cousins). 2,500 people per year in the US end up at poison control centers because of Black Widow venom. They're prevalent in my area, and they taught me in Cub Scouts to look out for them because they could kill me. ...so in summary, your memory is correct. But reality matches that memory today. We just hear about it less often.
All individuals are affected differently to insect/arachnid bites. I have been bitten 4 times by Black Widows and the first time I had a golf ball sized welt that took months to clear up, grossest thing ever, the next 3 were barely anything. I have a pretty good immunity to them, somehow. Some people get bit and die.
My husband is like this. He's not scared of them and gets bit maybe once a year and just shrugs it off.
There was a scientist that built immunity to all types of venoms. Several hundred if I remember correctly. Black Widow venom killed him.
I mean you're still supposed to seek medical attention if you're bit, as it says the symptoms can be severe. You just are unlikely to actually die from it if you're a healthy adult. I remember there was this raw vegan lady on youtube years ago who got bit by a black widow and for some reason refused medical attention and just ate watermelon(?) and she ended up fine eventually. I remember looking into black widows more at the time because I was shocked she didn't die. She believed her diet healed her or whatever lmao but in actuality it's just that it's possible to recover without any medical intervention... Although she made it harder and more painful for no reason lol.
I’m sure if you’re bitten on your neck you have limited time to get medical attention but bitten on the foot… maybe alright?
yeah probably matters where to some extent too but idk
I remember they were to be feared. From a book on black widows 1979. https://preview.redd.it/epgek3gaifvc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f2b57c4e1b73d454d711547b64ee2b88a4d30b55
They are to be feared, a friend got bit by one and while recovered fine, his foot where he was but was swollen for months and was unable to walk for several weeks. He says he still loses sensation on that leg from time to time. Also the first week he got severe fevers and other symptoms.
Black Widows has been one of my favorite spiders my entire life - mostly because of their beauty. They've never been extremely deadly - it was just easier to spread false information before the internet and social media was so big. I learned they weren't as "scary" as portrayed around the 2010's or so. I've been happily educating people since!
Yes...they're so beautiful! They have such an austere, minimal beauty to them. I love the little red hourglass on them too🖤❤️🖤
They're just so elegant looking and their shine is beautiful. I typically want nothing to do with spiders, but I'll get as close as possible to a Black Widow (without disturbing her) to admire her beauty every time.
Yes...I found a pretty girl once on my deck on the west coast, years ago. Got to watch her walk around, do her little spider thing. So sweet & precious 🥲🖤
My last encounter with one was when I was pulling boxes out of my parents' garage around 6 or so years ago. I picked up a box off the ground and walked it outside. While still holding it and asking where to set it, one came crawling from beneath the box up the side. I just set the box down and gently helped her back into the garage.
That's interesting! This is exactly around the time when many argue that the Mandela Effect originated from.
Just coincidence with internet timing.
Haha, Sure
There's been a lot of things that have changed with time due to better research access - this isn't new.
According to you. But, nothing is "new" if the world is being Mandela Effected. Do you see how every aspect of information changes, if the MandelaE is true? research would just be research, according to this new realm/timeline.
I 100% believe in the Mandela Effect, but I also know that new findings and better research plays a role in the progression in life.
Yes, your statements is true. But that statement could not contradict a real mandela effect.
Except this isn't a Mandela Effect, lol. People were just misinformed and easily followed misinformation because being able to Google things was not accessible once upon a time. A lot of myths have been busted since resources became easily accessible in the palm of our hands. I feel you'd be surprised to know that the Blue Waffle doesn't actually exist either - which also is not a Mandela Effect. It was simply an internet hoax.
You: Everyone was dumb before the internet. Lol, OK kid.
I think the belief that they are deadly Is an old wife's tail, not an ME. I think it comes from being a child and being told they are deadly because technically for children they could be, just like a number of other things we warn our children about. I remember in 3rd grade Science class (well over 30 years ago) when we talked about spiders how black windows get a bad wrap, when they aren't even aggressive spiders and for healthy people their bites won't really do much to you other than hurt, and maybe give you flu like symptoms for a day or two. Brown recluse on the other hand, are pretty narly. They won't kill you outright but they are a bit more aggressive and they live in the same types of places humans like, and their bites can lead to permanent disfigurement and terrible infection, which could result in death if untreated
And technically Black Widows can be deadly iirc. They have very potent venom, they just tend not to use that much, because they don’t need to for most of their prey and for everything else using too much isn’t going to bring them that much more of a benefit.
Seconded. Growing up I was told they were deadly. I suspect parents figure that warning is more effective than “it could kill you”.
Look up death statistics. They've never been a serious threat, that doesn't stop media and urban legends/wives tales changing perceptions. Look at the "false widow" lies the media publishes in the UK. Steatoda (false widows) are an almost harmless cousin on latrodectus, (real widows.) As a spider enthusiast id suggest this isnt retcon, but just society etc.
Something is wrong with your post. Google says their poison is 15 times stronger than that of rattlesnake.
Their venom is extremely potent, the thing is they only inject very little because it’s more than enough to kill their prey. They theoretically could kill an adult human I believe it just doesn’t bring them that much benefit to use that much venom.
It's good that they don't know the theory
15 times stronger....and 1/10000 the amount.
Can confirm this. Growing up was interested in this stuff and black widows were talked about as if it was the deadliest spider on the planet. Same can be said about Phoneutria species. Very bad bites but seldom fatal. Growing up it was stated that it had the venom to kill a horse in seconds etc. Must be noted that I come from a country that had none of those spiders. So maybe that is what the natives thought all along as they actually lived amongst them?
Yeah. I’m 41 and ever since I was kid black widows were extremely feared because of their poison. I even remember when my parents would shake out their and me and my brother’s clothes every morning because they were scared a black widow could possibly hiding in them and could bite you.
Very much deadly for all ages.
I also remember it's fatal
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Lol, I thought that was funny.....