Andy Zwerling Spiders in the Night (1971)
Aposematism is an evolutionary strategy used by many animals to signal danger or unpalatability to potential predators. The term comes from the Greek words “apo,” meaning “away,” and “sema,” meaning “sign.” Aposematism often manifests as coloration, effectively communicating that an animal is toxic, venomous or otherwise harmful.
A notable example of aposematism is the red hourglass shape on the abdomen of the female black widow spider. While this warning sign generally is effective, it does not deter male black widow spiders, who are, in some cases, killed and eaten by the female after mating. (However, this behavior is less common than the spider's name suggests and a lot of people including scientists believe.)
The warning mechanism seems to be more effective with humans (although it is unclear whether our species considers the spider’s red marks or the overall appearance more threatening). Many people mistakenly believe that black widow bites are always fatal, which contributes to widespread fear; in reality, most bites are not life-threatening, especially for healthy adults, and can be treated with medical intervention.
Nevertheless, black widow spiders are often featured in horror stories and other, less frightening cultural works. A peculiar example is the 1971 song “Spiders in the Night” by American singer-songwriter Andy Zwerling. The sparsely instrumented track blends folk, rock and psychedelic influences with lyrics that heavily rely on metaphors—not to say cryptic imagery. Or can you decipher what the eponymous "black widow spiders climbing up the wall" are all about?
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