This site is sponsored by JCM Digital Imaging

Santa Clarita and Northern Los Angeles County Area
Butterfly and Moth Site
Black Widow Spider vs. Alligator Lizard


On May 15th, 2013, I happened across a most unusual sight in the garage... A Black Widow Spider had apparently snared a medium-sized Alligator Lizard in her web! As many people know, Black Widow webs are quite strong, but this was far beyond what I would have though possible. This particular web was quite dense, with many strong “anchor” lines embedded within. The lizard appeared to have done the “death roll” while trying to escape, inadvertently twisting multiple silk strands into an even stronger rope, hopelessly tangling his hind quarters and tail. Oddly, his tail had not separated as lizard tails do when they are grabbed or attacked, although I doubt it would have helped much in this case. To make things worse, the lizard managed to twist himself up into the web such that he could no longer touch the ground, preventing him from gaining traction and pretty-much sealing his fate.

The lizard was still alive when I discovered him, but was in pretty bad shape and just barely breathing, although he did manage to squirm around around once in a while with what little energy he had left. He appeared to have been bitten many times and look very weak and/or partially paralyzed. The spider was actively biting and apparently feeding on him as well, and this struggle may have been going on one-to-two days before I found them.

Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard




A little while later, I came back and took these super close-ups (caution – these images are REALLY big!) …

Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard Black Widow vs (and EATS) Alligator Lizard
This video shows the newly discovered scene, with the spider still trying to subdue the lizard...


Things were moving pretty slowly, so I decided to set up a time lapse rig to record the action... The three videos below document what happened over the next several hours. Probably the most surprising thing is that the spider was able to move the lizard (which probably weighed 50-100 times more than the spider) up and closer to her lair, where she could have “safer” access to it without having to venture so far out. She cut old webs and spun new ones, hauling and cocooning the lizard, occasionally stopping to feed as she worked. The lizard now appeared to be dead, and I wondered how long this meal package would last her.
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard S5 Timelapse Crop
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard S5 Timelapse Crop		 Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard S5 Timelapse Tall
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard S5 Timelapse Tall		 Creepy! Black Widow feeds on and cocoons Aligator Lizard Timelapse
Creepy! Black Widow feeds on and cocoons Aligator Lizard Timelapse

This series of videos on YouTube (shot for stock footage) show a variety of views of this event...
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard		 Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard		 Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard		 Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard		 Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard		 Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard


Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard		 Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard		 Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard		 Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard		 Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard
Black Widow vs Alligator Lizard


Black Widow cocooning/moving lizard
Black Widow cocooning/moving lizard		 Black Widow cocooning/moving lizard
Black Widow cocooning/moving lizard		 Black Widow cocooning/moving lizard
Black Widow cocooning/moving lizard		 Black Widow cocooning/moving lizard
Black Widow cocooning/moving lizard		 Black Widow cocooning/moving lizard
Black Widow cocooning/moving lizard



2 days later, the spider had finished with the lizard. There seemed to be plenty left to eat, but animals may decay faster than the spider's normal diet of insects, and perhaps it was no longer fresh enough for the spider's taste. I found the lizard, cut from the web and discarded - dropped to the floor, where it was cleaned up later that day along with the rest of the spider's mess.

Discarded Alligator Lizard body Discarded Alligator Lizard body

Normally, the Alligator Lizard would hunt for insects to eat, and spiders of all kinds are definitely on the menu. This Black Widow would have almost certainly been eaten for lunch if the lizard hadn't been snared in the web. On this rare occasion, the tables were turned and the predator became the prey. The web served perfectly as both a defensive AND offensive tool. Things in nature don't always turn out the way one might expect, and it's always good to have a camera handy when unusual scenes like this unfold...




Return To:

Photo Galleries
Main Index Page