Stephen Dalton / False black widow spider (Steotoda bipunctata) on screw head, UK, Theridiidae

Stephen Dalton / False widow spider (Steatoda bipunctata) on screw, UK

Albert Lleal / Mediterranean Black Widow (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) abdomen showing silk glands, Spain

Andy Sands / False widow / Cellar spider (Steatoda grossa), protecting egg-sac in corner of room in domestic house, Hertfordshire, England, UK.

Andy Sands / False widow / Cellar spider (Steatoda grossa), protecting egg-sac in corner of room in domestic house, Hertfordshire, England, UK.

John Cancalosi / Western black widow spider (Latrodectus hesperus) female on plant, Arizona, USA

John Cancalosi / Western black widow spider (Latrodectus hesperus) female on web, Arizona, USA

Norbert Wu / Yellowtail Rockfish (Sebastes flavidus) and Widow Rockfish (Sebastes entomelas), Vancouver Island, Canada

Jane Burton / Black widow characin {Gymnocorymbus ternetzi} captive, from Amazonia

Jane Burton / Black widow characin {Gymnocorymbus ternetzi} captive, from Amazonia

George McCarthy / Weeping widow toadstools {Lacrymaria velutina} UK

Ingo Arndt / Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus) spider, Arizona

Bruno D'Amicis / Mediterranean black widow spider (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus.) Lazio, Italy

Philippe Clement / Western Black widow (Latrodectus hesperus) spider on web. Arizona, USA

Philippe Clement / Western Black widow (Latrodectus hesperus) spider on wall of building. Arizona, USA

PREMAPHOTOS / Western black widow spider (Latrodectus hesperus) in her web under a table, Arizona, USA

LYNN M. STONE / Widow skimmer dragonfly {Libellula luctuosa} at rest with wings open, Connecticut, USA

Michael Durham / Blue Mud Wasp (Chalybion californicum) photographed with a high-speed camera. They feed Black Widow spiders to their young and will take over the nests of Black and Yellow wasps

Michael Durham / Blue Mud Wasp (Chalybion californicum) photographed with a high-speed camera. They feed Black Widow spiders to their young and will take over the nests of Black and Yellow wasps

Richard Du Toit / Long-tailed Widow (Euplectes progne) flying male, Marievale, South Africa

Richard Du Toit / Long-tailed Widow (Euplectes progne) side view of a male flying, Marievale, South Africa

Barry Mansell / Brown widow spider {Latrodectus geometricus} Florida, USA

Pete Oxford / Black widow spider with egg sacs {Latrodectus mactans} Ankarana special Reserve, Madagascar

Peter Blackwell / Red Collared Widow Bird (Euplected ardens) Masai Mara, Kenya

Rod Williams / Black widow spider {Latrodectus mactans} female with egg sac, South America.

Rod Williams / Black widow spider {Latrodectus mactans} female with egg sac, South America.

Richard Du Toit / Male Long tailed widow bird {Euplectes progne} Marievale, South Africa

Barry Mansell / Red-legged widow spider {Latrodectus bishopi} Florida, USA

Hans Christoph Kappel / Black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) with egg ball Yugoslavia

Heidi & Hans-Juergen Koch / Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus) female with her cocoons full of eggs, captive animal, native to the United States

Heidi & Hans-Juergen Koch / Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus) large female and small male shortly before mating, native to the United States

Piotr Naskrecki / Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans), McKinney Roughs Nature Park, Texas

Eric Sohn Joo Tan/ BIA / Long-tailed Widow (Euplectes progne) flying, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Richard Du Toit / Long-tailed Widow (Euplectes progne) male in display flight, Rietvlei Nature Reserve, South Africa

Roland Seitre / Collared Titi (Callicebus torquatus)

Chris Shields / Illustration of Orb-web / Rabbit hutch spider (Steatoda bipunctata), Theridiidae.

Premaphotos / Southern black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) female in her web with Grasshopper prey, Georgia, USA

Premaphotos / Southern black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) female in her web with an egg-sac also present, Georgia, USA

Norbert Wu / Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans) large female about to lay eggs, California

Guy Edwardes / Wailing Widow Falls under stormy sky, Assynt, Scottish Highlands, UK. March, 2023.

Jamie Unwin / Tracking shot of a Long-tailed widowbird (Euplectes progne) male performing mating display in the morning. The bird flies low over the savannah grassland. Laikipia county, Kenya. May.

Jamie Unwin / Long-tailed widowbird (Euplectes progne) male ruffling its feathers while perched on a bush during the morning, Laikipia county, Kenya. May.

Ann & Steve Toon / Two Long-tailed paradise whydah (Vidua paradisaea) males in breeding plumage, perched in tree top, Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Widow skimmer dragonfly (Libellula luctuosa) female, portrait, Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center, Nebraska, USA. Captive.

Bernard Castelein / Widow dragonfly (Palpopleura portia) male, resting on leaf, Allahein River, The Gambia.

Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Chuck-will's-widow (Antrostomus carolinensis) spreading wings and tail feathers in defensive posture, portrait, Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma, USA. Captive.

Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Chuck-will's-widow (Antrostomus carolinensis) with head raised and mouth open wide vocalising, defensive behaviour, portrait, Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma, USA. Captive.

Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Chuck-will's-widow (Antrostomus carolinensis) head portrait, Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma, USA. Captive.

Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Chuck-will's-widow (Antrostomus carolinensis) with head raised and mouth open wide vocalising, defensive behaviour, portrait, Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma, USA. Captive.

Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Chuck-will's-widow (Antrostomus carolinensis) spreading wings and tail feathers in defensive posture, portrait, Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma, USA. Captive.

Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Chuck-will's-widow (Antrostomus carolinensis) head portrait, Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma, USA. Captive.

Nick Upton / False black widow / Cupboard spider (Steatoda grossa) female, on stored firewood in garden shed, Wiltshire, UK. February.

Nick Upton / False black widow / Cupboard spider (Steatoda grossa) female, on stored firewood in garden shed, Wiltshire, UK. February.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Pair of European black widow spiders (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus)much larger female on right, next to egg sac, Tolfa Hills, Lazio, Italy July.

Paul Harcourt Davies / European black widow spider (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) female, rear view, Tolfa Hills, Lazio, Italy. July.

Paul Harcourt Davies / European black widow spider (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) female, next to egg sac, Tolfa Hills, Lazio, Italy July.

Gil Wizen / Desert black widow (Latrodectus revivensis) on its web, preying on Wedge-snouted skink (Sphenops sepsoides) in the desert, Western Negev Desert, Israel.

Bernard Castelein / Female Widow dragonfly (Palpopleura portia) landing on a branch, Kololi, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Female Widow dragonfly (Palpopleura portia) resting on a branch, Kololi, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Little bee-eater (Merops pusillus) with Widow dragonfly (Palpopleura portia) prey in beak, Allahein river, The Gambia.

Shane Gross / School of Widow rockfish (Sebastes entomelas) swimming with the current, Browning passage, Queen Charlotte Strait, Vancouver Island, Canada.

Shane Gross / School of Widow rockfish (Sebastes entomelas) swimming with the current, Browning passage, Queen Charlotte Strait, Vancouver Island, Canada.

Shane Gross / Finger sponge (Isodictya quatsinoensis) and juvenile Widow rockfish (Sebastes entomelas) along with various anemone and coral species on a wall, Browning Passage, Queen Charlotte Strait, Vancouver Isl...

Guy Edwardes / Wailing Widow Falls on an overcast day, Assynt, Scottish Highlands, UK. August.

Guy Edwardes / Wailing Widow Falls and Loch Gainmhich on an overcast day, Assynt, Scottish Highlands, UK. August.

Guy Edwardes / Wailing Widow Falls and Loch Gainmhich on an overcast day, Assynt, Scottish Highlands, UK. August.

Richard Du Toit / Pintailed whydah (Vidua macroura) perched, Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Emanuele Biggi / Mediterranean black widow spider (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) young specimen attached to a rock close to its web, Tolfa, Rome, Italy, June.

Emanuele Biggi / Mediterranean black widow spider (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus), young female specimen hanging from its web, Tolfa, Rome, Italy, June.

Guy Edwardes / Long-tailed paradise whydah (Vidua paradisaea) male perched on branch. Savuti, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Dusky cranesbill (Geranium phaeum). Fassa Valley, Dolomites, Trentino, Italy. June.

Bernard Castelein / Pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura) male in display flight. Allahein River, Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura) male perched on branch. Allahein River, Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura) male perched in tree. Allahein River, Gambia.

Nick Upton / Close up view of a Mexican hat plant / Mother of thousands (Bryophyllum diagramiontianum / Kalanchoe daigremontiana) with plantlets developing on leaf edge, cultivated, UK.

Nick Upton / Close up view of a Mexican hat plant / Mother of thousands (Bryophyllum diagramiontianum / Kalanchoe daigremontiana) with plantlets developing on leaf edge, cultivated, UK.

Nick Upton / Mexican hat plant / Mother of thousands (Bryophyllum diagramiontianum / Kalanchoe daigremontiana) with plantlets developing on leaf edges, cultivated, UK.

Nick Upton / Close up view of a Mexican hat plant / Mother of thousands (Bryophyllum diagramiontianum / Kalanchoe daigremontiana) with plantlets developing on leaf edge, cultivated, UK.

Rod Williams / Female False Black Widow Spider (Steatoda nobilis) Beverley Court Gardens,Lewisham, London, England, UK. April 2015

Richard Du Toit / Pintailed whydah (Vidua macroura) male displaying in flight to female, Herold's Bay, Garden Routes, Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Martin Camm / Carwardine / Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) Head upperside - Widow's Peak' variations No more than 15 illustrations by Martin Camm, Rebecca Robinson and/or Toni Llobet to be used in a si...

Martin Camm / Carwardine / Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) Head upperside - Widow's Peak' variations No more than 15 illustrations by Martin Camm, Rebecca Robinson and/or Toni Llobet to be used in a si...

Martin Camm / Carwardine / Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) Head upperside - Widow's Peak' variations No more than 15 illustrations by Martin Camm, Rebecca Robinson and/or Toni Llobet to be used in a si...

Rod Williams / Common stiletto fly (Thereva nobilitata) Warwick Gardens, Peckham, London, England, UK. June.

Andy Sands / Stiletto Fly (Thereva nobilitata) on sandy heathland soil, Surrey, England, UK, June

Jussi Murtosaari / Flies (Brachycera) on leaf, Parikkala, Etela-Karjala / South Karelia, Etela-Suomi / South Finland, Finland. June

Rod Williams / Common Stiletto Fly (Thereva nobilitata) Hutchinson's Bank, New Addington, South London, England, UK, May

Jussi Murtosaari / Fly (Brachycera) on Lily of the Valley berries, Parikkala, Etela-Karjala / South Karelia, Etela-Suomi / South Finland, Finland. September

Premaphotos / Coastal silver stiletto fly (Thereva annulata) female laying her eggs beneath the sand on a coastal dune, UK

Premaphotos / Coastal silver stiletto fly (Thereva / Acrosathe annulata) male on a sand dune, UK

Nick Upton / Male Coastal silver stiletto fly (Acrosathe annulata), close up, on sand dune, Merthyr Mawr Warren National Nature Reserve, Glamorgan, Wales, UK. May.

Doug Wechsler / Stiletto fly (Therevidae sp.) on leaf, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. June.

Nick Upton / Coastal silver stiletto fly (Acrosathe annulata) male standing on a sandy path, Dorset heathland, UK, May.