Forum Topic

Unwelcome creepy crawlies - the False Widow

So last night, having a browse through the interweb and saw a link on Twitter to the Daily Star (yes, I know what you're going to say!) reporting on the growing number of 'False Widow' spiders in the UK (London, Kent and South of England particularly) and their ability to kill a human! Now, not being a fan of our 8 legged friends, I had a further delve and as suspected, the Daily Star were as usual sensationally over-reporting - a more levelled column in the Independent (link below) states that you probably don't want a bite from this spider, but if you get one, go to A&E / your GP ASAP and tell them you think you've been bitten by one. Symptoms post-bite (depending on severity of bite) may include chest pains and a swelling and tingling of the bite area.Not trying to scaremonger, just sharing…http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bites-reported-across-london-and-kent-as-south-east-sees-influx-of-britains-most-poisonous-spider-8827447.html

Bud Richards ● 4565d12 Comments

Tony,Wow!! A Huntman, you're a lucky lad. Pal of mine moved to Australia a few years ago and was one day picking his groceries out of the boot of his car and literally missed touching one by a hairs....

Bud Richards ● 4564d

So what does she do when you aren't there?BTW what is happening with your shop Tony?I take no prisoners, they do not pay any rent so can't stay.

Bernadette Clover ● 4564d

Didn't the Gekko's keep you awake at night noisy little blighters? Mosquito's in the UK couldn't believe it coming back after 25 years in Oz and laying in bed one night hearing that familiar buzzing noise I thought I had left behind. luckily my wife must give off a sweeter scent than me as she suffers all the bites and I'm left welt free. I noticed mosquito coils in a shop the other day these work really well if you can put up with the stink.Tony I would love to see you catch a Huntsman under a glass. I only went near them with a can of bug spray.  Had one run across my naked chest one night I think you can still see the finger holes in the ceiling.

Tony Maxey ● 4564d

Love spiders, possibly though not the venomous or biting ones!They do contain the rising mosquito population and I really hate mosquito bites.When I worked in Africa, I kept Gekko lizards in the bedroom. They took care of almost any bugs, but it was not so nice when they ran over the bed and across your face.!!

Michael Brandt ● 4564d

"If you want to live and thrive... let a spider run alive"So my wife always tells me.She's terrified of them.So I must capture them gently before liberating them to the wild.

Tony Luckhurst ● 4564d

Callous little haemophiliac!

Tony Wood ● 4564d

Wasn't a bite from a Spider how Spiderman got his superpowers?  Still he should have seen his GP especially if he felt unwell.Using one of those electric bat things is great on spiders, they frazzle and spark.

Bernadette Clover ● 4565d

Bud, not taken serious, I was just being pedantic.

Fred Hunt ● 4565d

It was a joke Fred - sorry :)

Bud Richards ● 4565d

If he was killed by a stampede of bulls how did he report that it was a spider bite and not a wasp sting that caused his scream?

Fred Hunt ● 4565d

Fred,There was a report of a guy that was bitten by a spider, screamed in shock and startled his bulls who stampeded him and killed him.Tenuous I know, but.....

Bud Richards ● 4565d

No one has ever died of a spider bite in the UK says The Natural History Museum's site - http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2007/may/news_11767.htmlThe false widow spiders belong to the genus, or group, called Steatoda . There are six species of Steatoda found in the UK

Fred Hunt ● 4565d