Black widow spider bites are harmful especially to young children, chronically ill, and the elderly. The spiders are usually found in garages, wood piles, barns, and garbage piles. They usually appear in the summer months. They are generally nonaggressive and usually bite only in self defense. They are feared because their venom is 15 times more potent than a rattlesnake. They can be identified as a black spider with a red hourglass shape on their abdomen.