D3209: (2nd Place) How scary is a black widow?

Aposematic, or warning, coloration is used by many animals to advertise their toxicity and to discourage attacks. Black Widow Spiders (Theridiidae: Latrodectus) have a well-known red hourglass contrasting with an overall black coloration. This color pattern is an aposematic signal to deter predators. We experiment with plastic spider models painted black with different red shapes to test the specificity of this visual signal. Seeing differences between patterns could provide insights into spider evolution and the mechanisms of aposematism within Latrodectus.