Are there any uses for Black Widow spiders?

[Soisi]

Other than the insect control services that Black Widows provide are there other uses for this type of spider.

Science, research, antivenin, pharmaceuticals, whatever?

I’ve seen jewelry made from the exoskeletons and my chickens eat them, but not much more.

I have a yard full of them (really it’s my entire pasture- there are thousands) and I was hoping I had a Black Widow goldmine.

THanks

[Ice_Wolf]

Yep, hang onto them, and call up the guys in the white lab coats.

The silk and venom Latrodectus mactans produces has potential uses in biotechnology. Its venom could lead to a new generation of environmentally safe insecticides that leave no residues. Drugs derived from its venom may be able to save lives of future heart attack victims by means of an immediate effect on the blood vessels, allowing the blood to flow more easily.