False widow spiders UK

[SophiasMummy]

one ran at me when I was in bed the other night just saw it running towards my face as I was laying down reading my kindle, flng it across the room in a panic then decided I had to find it and squish it because there was no way I was sleeping with it still in my room, luckily I found it quick only realised what it was after I squished it s im extra glad I did. (I wouldn't of been so brave if it had been one of those big spiders though!)

my mum is scared to death of spiders and one was at the top of our curtains one night when I was living there, it was quite big too, my mum got up the courage to try get it with the hoover and the bloody thing jumped at her as she came towards it with the hoover, ending up with her jumping backward and falling over screaming and us all rolling over in laughter. she got it in the end after we all calmed down a bit

 

[sparkle_1979]

My mums just been bit, has two fang bites....urgh she was changing the beds, can't see a spider around and now we are paranoid x

 

[Sarah lo]

Just a little reassurance for everyone who thinks spiders might lay eggs inside the vacuum bag, I've just been reading this:

https://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1678-91992007000300005

They did an experiment and all 60 males, 60 females, 60 young were killed when being hoovered up they hoovered up some egg sacs too, all of which were destroyed. The only spiders that survived were the ones that were placed in the vacuum bag and then the machine turned on for 5 minutes (which surprised me as I thought they would've suffocated)

Get this though, they did the same experiment with cockroaches and those buggers survived!

 

[WelshOneEmma]

Just a little reassurance for everyone who thinks spiders might lay eggs inside the vacuum bag, I've just been reading this:

https://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1678-91992007000300005

They did an experiment and all 60 males, 60 females, 60 young were killed when being hoovered up they hoovered up some egg sacs too, all of which were destroyed. The only spiders that survived were the ones that were placed in the vacuum bag and then the machine turned on for 5 minutes (which surprised me as I thought they would've suffocated)

Get this though, they did the same experiment with cockroaches and those buggers survived!

Cockroaches survive everything!

and to everyone else, all spiders bite (and all are venomous). chances are a spider will run rather than bite. They are just taking shelter, and will happily deal with any house flies for you.

 

[Missnurse]

Lol cockroaches would be about the only thing to survive an apocolypse!

 

[CoffeePuffin]

There's definitely one outside my kitchen window (it has the exact same markings) and I am freaking the hell out.

How big is it??

It wasn't particularly big but it had the markings on its back.

 

[binxyboo]

Stop panicing.
Here is an excellent article on why there is nothing to fear

https://www.buglife.org.uk/bugs-&-habitats/spider-bites

Be warned - there are pictures of spiders in it, so if you are too scared to open it - I shall put some important bits below.

The notorious Noble false-widow (Steatoda nobilis) does indeed have a more venomous bite than other British species. It injects a neurotoxin which may cause localised pain, minor swelling, and in extreme cases nausea within a few hours (but not days). Symptoms then fade away.

There are no proven cases where the Noble false-widow has caused death, coma or permanent injury.

Its neurotoxins do not result in ‘necrosis’ i.e. the gangrene-like infections described in the media – this results from a bacterial infection which could come from any source including scratching a mosquito bite, scratch or splinter wound with dirty fingers.

While an allergic reaction to a spider bite is theoretically possible, this has never been recorded, even in people who are allergic to bee or wasp stings.

Spotting dubious ‘killer spider’ scare stories in the media

Look out for the following indications:-

No spider - it attacked at night, no perpetrator observed – spiders bite when trapped or squeezed, when you are asleep you are generally still and unlikely to harass a spider - plays on vampire fears.

‘Antibiotic prescription’ – the doctors clearly thought it was a bacteria infection or they would have used anti-venom.

‘Killer’, etc. – spiders leaping at, running at and generally being vicious towards people – only happens in the films.

‘Cutting out venom’ – not a treatment for a spider bite, a treatment for necrosis, usually caused by a bacterial infection.

Late response – if the symptoms are worse on day two than day one then venom is unlikely to be the cause – venom has evolved to act quickly.

Unidentified spider picture – journalist has not even bothered to ask an expert to help name the spider in the photo.

‘False widow’ – unspecific references to ‘false-widows’ there are several species of false widow in Britain, including the Common false-widow (Steatoda bipunctata) that lives around human settlements for thousands of years and has never caused anyone any problems (and the most likely to be seen in the north).

‘A nest of spiders’ – spiders in the UK do not live in ‘nests’, although there are some amazing species in the tropical jungles that do cooperate with each other to build large communal webs.

 

[Katerpillar]

Why, why, why, why, WHYYYYYY have I just read this thread just before going up to bed??? I knew what I was doing as I opened it and still chose to.....I believe that is a form of self torture!!!!!

 

[babyjan]

HATE cockroaches too, luckily I don't see those things!