Echo Video News
| LATEST NEWS |  | | | FEATURES | | |
|
|
|
False black widows crawling around Hampshire
IT is enough to make most
people reach for a rolled-up
newspaper.
However, although it looks identical to
a black widow spider, this one found in
a Hampshire home is only a distant relative.
Meet steatoda nobilis - also known as
the false widow spider - a species that is
on the rise in the south.
The freaky-looking arachnid was
found by Katherine Woodhouse, lurking
on the ceiling of her conservatory in
Totton.
Mum-of-one Katherine, 36, said: "It's
been in my conservatory for about a
month, happily eating flies that were
landing in its web. It was my husband
that was quite concerned about it
because he found some strange markings
on its back.
"We looked it up on the Internet and
found it was very much like a black
widow spider. I sent a picture to the
Natural History Museum and they identified
it as a fake black widow spider.
"I've read that people that have been
bitten by it have suffered numbness,
chest pain and flu-like symptoms but
there haven't been many reportings of
them. I'm not that worried but as it's in
my little boy's play area I will be getting
rid of it, as it could have some babies
and I don't want any more!"
Spider expert Stuart Hine, who works
at the Natural History Museum in
London, said that false black widows
are not dangerous, but are becoming
increasingly common in England due to
climate change.
He said: "A few people that get bitten
by it describe the bite as far worse than
any other spider bite. It's not native to
the UK and originated in the Canary
Islands and Madeira. But they have
been on the south coast for about 100
years now.
"In the last five to ten years they have
started to increase and spread along the
south coast. They like warm conservatories.
But if you find one don't panic as
they will only bite if compromised. But
we will be seeing a lot more bites as they
grow in numbers."
In 2006, builder Jason Fricker, 34,
from Dorset, spent three days in hospital
after one bit him on the chest.
11:16am Wednesday 20th August 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: now in the north, bolton, from southampton on 11:47am Wed 20 Aug 08
We had one of these!! and a few hundred babies. A pet shop man gave it to me after he was bitten and had to go to hospital for 3 days.
We had one of these!! and a few hundred babies. A pet shop man gave it to me after he was bitten and had to go to hospital for 3 days.
Posted by: Teach on 11:59am Wed 20 Aug 08
[quote][bold]now in the north[/bold] wrote:
We had one of these!! and a few hundred babies. A pet shop man gave it to me after he was bitten and had to go to hospital for 3 days. [/quote] What did you do to annoy him?
now in the north wrote:
We had one of these!! and a few hundred babies. A pet shop man gave it to me after he was bitten and had to go to hospital for 3 days.
What did you do to annoy him?
Posted by: Taught on 12:19pm Wed 20 Aug 08
[quote][bold]Teach[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]now in the north[/bold] wrote: We had one of these!! and a few hundred babies. A pet shop man gave it to me after he was bitten and had to go to hospital for 3 days. [/quote] What did you do to annoy him?[/quote] Not buy anything from his store?
Teach wrote:
now in the north wrote: We had one of these!! and a few hundred babies. A pet shop man gave it to me after he was bitten and had to go to hospital for 3 days.
What did you do to annoy him?
Not buy anything from his store?
Posted by: Ron Endersticke on 12:41pm Wed 20 Aug 08
Enough is enough. The Chinese are flooding this country with cheap imitations, it's time the Fair Trading Office stamped this disgusting practice out
Enough is enough. The Chinese are flooding this country with cheap imitations, it's time the Fair Trading Office stamped this disgusting practice out
Posted by: StEmmosFire on 12:45pm Wed 20 Aug 08
This is old news, they have been around in this country since the turn of the century, brought over from the canarie islands. There was an outbreak of these in Marchwood last year and I had a load of these in my garden back in May. Not much we can do about it im afraid, they are here to stay!
This is old news, they have been around in this country since the turn of the century, brought over from the canarie islands. There was an outbreak of these in Marchwood last year and I had a load of these in my garden back in May. Not much we can do about it im afraid, they are here to stay!
Posted by: charlotte, Hedge End on 1:10pm Wed 20 Aug 08
We live in Hedge End and the outside of our house is covered in them. They seem to hide away during the day and all appear in the evening. So we don't keep the windows open at night, just in case they decide to come in! I would rather keep them on the outside of my house only if I can help it!!
We live in Hedge End and the outside of our house is covered in them. They seem to hide away during the day and all appear in the evening. So we don't keep the windows open at night, just in case they decide to come in! I would rather keep them on the outside of my house only if I can help it!!
Posted by: southy, redbridge on 1:31pm Wed 20 Aug 08
best bit is to kill them when ever you see them.
one way to kill them or move them away is to soak cotton wool in ammonia.
best bit is to kill them when ever you see them.
one way to kill them or move them away is to soak cotton wool in ammonia.
Posted by: Paula, Marchwood on 2:25pm Wed 20 Aug 08
Oh for goodness sake, they are all along the southcoast and have been for years. I have them in my garage and garden, they are so commonplace most people walk past them not even realising they have done so. You all have one somewhere in your garden or shed no doubt.
Oh for goodness sake, they are all along the southcoast and have been for years. I have them in my garage and garden, they are so commonplace most people walk past them not even realising they have done so. You all have one somewhere in your garden or shed no doubt.
Posted by: fed up, In Tesco's on 4:24pm Wed 20 Aug 08
[quote]best bit is to kill them when ever you see them.
one way to kill them or move them away is to soak cotton wool in ammonia.[/quote]
Oh sorry just used the last drop. Do the sell it in Tesco's
best bit is to kill them when ever you see them.
one way to kill them or move them away is to soak cotton wool in ammonia.
Oh sorry just used the last drop. Do the sell it in Tesco's
Posted by: southy, redbridge on 5:08pm Wed 20 Aug 08
its not an english spieces so kill it,and what happens when it takes the evolution jump and that bite a killer.
its not an english spieces so kill it,and what happens when it takes the evolution jump and that bite a killer.
Posted by: Miles Sway, Scotland on 5:30pm Wed 20 Aug 08
If you're really worried spray your entire house, inside and out, and garden with petrol, then throw a match - that'll get rid of 'em.
If you're really worried spray your entire house, inside and out, and garden with petrol, then throw a match - that'll get rid of 'em.
Posted by: mangobean, Eastleigh on 9:38pm Wed 20 Aug 08
[quote]The freaky-looking arachnid was found by Katherine Woodhouse, lurking on the ceiling of her conservatory in Totton[/quote]
What was the daft woman doing lurking on her conservatory ceiling?
The freaky-looking arachnid was found by Katherine Woodhouse, lurking on the ceiling of her conservatory in Totton
What was the daft woman doing lurking on her conservatory ceiling?
Posted by: Daz, Southampton on 9:46pm Wed 20 Aug 08
[quote]its not an english spieces so kill it[/quote] ..... thats a great idea.... can we try it out on all non english creatures ? ;o)
its not an english spieces so kill it
..... thats a great idea.... can we try it out on all non english creatures ? ;o)
Posted by: southy, redbridge on 12:07am Thu 21 Aug 08
[quote][bold]Daz[/bold] wrote:
[quote]its not an english spieces so kill it[/quote] ..... thats a great idea.... can we try it out on all non english creatures ? ;o)[/quote] if you like where do you want to start denzil be a good starting point
Daz wrote:
its not an english spieces so kill it
..... thats a great idea.... can we try it out on all non english creatures ? ;o)
if you like where do you want to start denzil be a good starting point
Posted by: leigh, southampton on 1:17am Thu 21 Aug 08
[quote][bold]Miles Sway[/bold] wrote:
If you\'re really worried spray your entire house, inside and out, and garden with petrol, then throw a match - that\'ll get rid of \'em. [/quote] yep i reckon that wud work just gonna try it my neighbour has one
Miles Sway wrote:
If you\'re really worried spray your entire house, inside and out, and garden with petrol, then throw a match - that\'ll get rid of \'em.
yep i reckon that wud work just gonna try it my neighbour has one
Posted by: now in the north, bolton, from southampton on 4:35pm Thu 21 Aug 08
[quote][bold]Taught[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]Teach[/bold] wrote: [quote][bold]now in the north[/bold] wrote: We had one of these!! and a few hundred babies. A pet shop man gave it to me after he was bitten and had to go to hospital for 3 days. [/quote] What did you do to annoy him?[/quote] Not buy anything from his store?[/quote] Nothing so serious, I had an eye for unusual things and got it free with my snake.
Perhaps it freaked him out a bit after it bit a bit. But, them big black fluffy ones will give you a nip too....little beggars.
Taught wrote:
Teach wrote: now in the north wrote: We had one of these!! and a few hundred babies. A pet shop man gave it to me after he was bitten and had to go to hospital for 3 days.
What did you do to annoy him?
Not buy anything from his store?
Nothing so serious, I had an eye for unusual things and got it free with my snake.
Perhaps it freaked him out a bit after it bit a bit. But, them big black fluffy ones will give you a nip too....little beggars.
Posted by: kiwi, Hampshire on 12:16pm Thu 28 Aug 08
Dont panic..Ive seen hundreds over the last few years in my garden, garage and outside on the window frames..I leave my windows open at night too and they rarely come inside. Ive been bitten once by a small one and it felt not that dissimilar to an itchy nettle sting, left a couple of raised bumps at the bite site afterwards..but no major concern a la media hype! Dont kill them, unless they are inside and really bothering you enough you cant sleep, they are lovely marked spiders and will only bite if you provoke them or accidentally squeeze one, whilst in the garage moving stuff about, as in my case!
Dont panic..Ive seen hundreds over the last few years in my garden, garage and outside on the window frames..I leave my windows open at night too and they rarely come inside. Ive been bitten once by a small one and it felt not that dissimilar to an itchy nettle sting, left a couple of raised bumps at the bite site afterwards..but no major concern a la media hype! Dont kill them, unless they are inside and really bothering you enough you cant sleep, they are lovely marked spiders and will only bite if you provoke them or accidentally squeeze one, whilst in the garage moving stuff about, as in my case!
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
Play video
