Martha Rogers, age 10, of Minto, New Brunswick, or her question:

Where is the home of the black widow spider?

We may come across the black widow from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South America. However, over most of this range she is a rare animal and few of us ever get a glimpse of her. But in the southwestern deserts of the United States, the black widow spider is quite common and people fear her.

Since the black widow has a poisonous bite, we should all learn to recognize her. She is a big spider, maybe half an inch. Her coat is velvety black with red markings. She may or may not have a row of red buttons down her back. But she is sure to have the red hour glass mark on her tummy. Do not annoy this spider, for when provoked she bites and her bite is poisonous.