Yep, bad stuff. But don't come to Florida as we not only have the black widow we also have the brown widow, much more common and more potent venom.
"Although the bite of a widow spider is much feared, the widow spiders are generally nonaggressive and will retreat when disturbed. Bites usually occur when a spider becomes accidentally pressed against the skin of a person when putting on clothes or sticking their hands in recessed areas or dark corners. According to Dr. G.B. Edwards, an arachnologist with the Florida State Collection of Arthropods in Gainesville, the brown widow venom is twice as potent as black widow venom. However, they do not inject as much venom as a black widow, are very timid, and do not defend their web. The brown widow is also slightly smaller than the black widow."
Sheesh, now I am creeped out sitting in my dusty web filled wood working shop... thanks.
Here's some spider photos to give you a chill... notice the stack of pots as a nesting site. And the "cool" egg sack if there could be one. I see them everywhere around the shop and home.
