Stepping away from Colorado bugs for a brief moment, I thought I would share an interesting little beastie that folks in the office found nestled amongst their grapes. Imagine getting ready to reach for a morning treat and finding this fine painted beauty staring back at you! My best guess on this one is a Northern Black Widow, perhaps a male or juvenile female. She (or he) are currently living in a constructed environment in my living room. [I finally had the chance to talk with the very nice folks at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and they believe that this is an immature female Western Black Widow. Apparently, they lose these markings as they mature, eventually sporting the glossy black body with the characteristic red hourglass marking.]
