Warning wet weather may drive false widow spiders into our homes
Dreary wet summer weather may be creating the perfect conditions for the UK's only poisonous spider to hide in your home.
False widow spiders are a distant relative of the deadly black widow, and this year's constant rain may be forcing them inside to hide, The Mirror reports.[1] The creepy crawlies are usually shy and not regarded as dangerous, but their bites can be similar to a wasp sting.
As they look for cosy spaces to hibernate for the winter, it is thought they are already taking refuge inside warm, dry houses and businesses this summer to avoid the rain. With 10 days of storms now forecast to batter the nation[2] thanks to a persistent blast from the Atlantic jet stream, there are key false widow characteristics you can look out for.
Expert Clive Boase, the owner of The Pest Management Consultancy in Suffolk, told the Mirror last year: “The population of false widows in the UK is growing all the time.
"People don’t realise just how common they have become. They can survive both indoors and outdoors. They are generally shy creatures and won’t come out into the open – but they could crawl into curtains or perhaps clothing left on the floor."
Earlier this year, a woman who thought she had a painful spot on her hand was shocked when doctors eventually found it was a bite from a false widow spider. Crystal Rudd, 28, first noticed the mark on her finger on March 25 and tried to pop it with a sterilised pin.
When the pain did not go away she went to A&E and was sent away with antibiotics and told to take antihistamines. However the swelling continued and the redness in her hand was beginning to spread to her arm when her husband, Stephen, took her back to hospital.
Doctors performed a number of tests - and finally discovered she had been bitten by the most venomous arachnid in the UK.
How to spot a false widow spider
According to the Wildlife Trusts, false widow spiders are usually up to 14mm body length, with a leg span that covers a fifty pence piece. The front section of their body is dark brown, as are the legs, while the abdomen can vary with patterns of cream and dark brown marks.
Their marks are sometimes described as skull-shaped, though often the false widow can have very few markings at all. False widow spiders be spotted throughout the year, but are most commonly seen between July and November.
Anyone who suspects a bite should avoid scratching it and wash the area with soap and water, while inflammation can be reduced by applying antihistamine cream and using a plaster.
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References
- ^ The Mirror reports. (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ 10 days of storms now forecast to batter the nation (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Met Office issues yellow weather warning for Liverpool (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Win your dream UK staycation with Hyatt (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)