Local
ASU study finds city-dwelling male black widows withstand heat better
Arizona State University student researchers are comparing black widows from urban and desert settings to learn how the spiders respond to heat. They report that urban males survived hotter conditions longer, while females have been staying active later into the year.
PHOENIX — Male black widow spiders from urban areas survived exposure to higher temperatures longer than males from desert environments, according to research underway at Arizona State University. The student-led work is examining how urban heat may shape the spiders’ ability to cope with rising temperatures.
ASU research aides Katharine Smas and Marissa France are studying black widows in a campus lab. Smas said desert males died faster when researchers exposed them to higher heat, a result she said was expected. The report did not provide the temperatures tested or the number of spiders involved.
Urban areas can run hotter than surrounding desert as pavement and buildings absorb heat, while vehicle exhaust adds warmth and development often leaves less vegetation. The researchers are investigating whether black widows living in those settings have adapted to such conditions.
The students are also tracking seasonal activity. Smas said female black widows, usually associated with the hot summer months, have been appearing later into the year. She sees the pattern as a possible sign of Arizona’s increasingly warm winters, though the observations alone do not establish a long-term climate trend.
The project also offers research experience for France and Smas, who are pursuing forensic science studies. France said the lab is examining spiders’ epigenomes — chemical changes that can affect how genes operate — an area she said has received little attention in spiders. She has also joined a campus toxicology research lab.
The findings could help researchers understand how wildlife responds to hotter urban environments, while giving the students hands-on experience in biological research.