http://uk.news.yahoo.com/father-col...poisonous-spider-bites-him-ten-times-.html?nc
Ten bites and he got away with painkillers.
Ten bites and he got away with painkillers.
Saw this article in the news threds
- Thread starter Wild Thing
- Start date
That will be Steatoda grossa again. The False Widow. Or possibly it larger relative, S. nobilis.
False Widow, meaning the thing isn't especially dangerous unless you happen to be sensitive to its venom. Originated in the Canary Islands, but resident in the UK for at least the last 80-100 years.
<Sigh>
I don't mean to belittle this guy's experience, which was obviously very unpleasant, and I'm glad he's ok. Its just, spider bites person and they need a few painkillers = news story. Wasp or bee stings someone and they go into anaphylactic shock (far worse) never makes the news at all unless it causes a fatality, yet it is a lot more common than one of these spider incidents. 10 wasp stings and you are in serious trouble, sensitive or not.
I just get exasperated at the 'shock, horror' reporting of spiders.
Rant over.
False Widow, meaning the thing isn't especially dangerous unless you happen to be sensitive to its venom. Originated in the Canary Islands, but resident in the UK for at least the last 80-100 years.
<Sigh>
I don't mean to belittle this guy's experience, which was obviously very unpleasant, and I'm glad he's ok. Its just, spider bites person and they need a few painkillers = news story. Wasp or bee stings someone and they go into anaphylactic shock (far worse) never makes the news at all unless it causes a fatality, yet it is a lot more common than one of these spider incidents. 10 wasp stings and you are in serious trouble, sensitive or not.
I just get exasperated at the 'shock, horror' reporting of spiders.
Rant over.
What range does that thing have ?
I always believed that there were no poisonous spiders in the UK.......and look, I'm wrong :yikes:
cheers,
M
I always believed that there were no poisonous spiders in the UK.......and look, I'm wrong :yikes:
cheers,
M
All but 2 of the resident species in the UK (666 or so of them ) are venomous. Only about 2 dozen can actually bite hard enough to pierce human skin though, and of those, only Steatoda grossa and S. nobilis have venom powerful enough to cause more than minor inflammation (well, maybe the 2 woodlouse spiders as well).
The thing is, most spiders can't pierce human skin, and due to their small size, even those that can can't inject enough venom to cause any sort of significant reaction. Add in that virtually all spider venoms are about 10 times less effective on mammals like us than they are on insects, and you see why they aren't usually much of a threat to people. Those that are have seriously excessive venom!
S. nobilis is confined to the southernmost counties of England, and almost exclusively coastal. S. grossa (which is only half as large) seems to be spreading, as it occurs mainly as a house spider. It is largely southern but has turned up in Shetland in recent years. I remember years ago in Plymouth it was the dominant house spider, and occurred in every home and building, often in huge numbers. It was under the bench I sat at every day. Bites were almost unheard of. Severity is usually on the scale of a nettle sting.
The guy in the article would have had about the same reaction if he had fallen into a nettle patch wearing only a pair of shorts.
For comparison, size for size, the common wasp is the most venomous animal in Europe. Its sting is incredibly potent for the size of the animal.
) are venomous. Only about 2 dozen can actually bite hard enough to pierce human skin though, and of those, only Steatoda grossa and S. nobilis have venom powerful enough to cause more than minor inflammation (well, maybe the 2 woodlouse spiders as well).The thing is, most spiders can't pierce human skin, and due to their small size, even those that can can't inject enough venom to cause any sort of significant reaction. Add in that virtually all spider venoms are about 10 times less effective on mammals like us than they are on insects, and you see why they aren't usually much of a threat to people. Those that are have seriously excessive venom!
S. nobilis is confined to the southernmost counties of England, and almost exclusively coastal. S. grossa (which is only half as large) seems to be spreading, as it occurs mainly as a house spider. It is largely southern but has turned up in Shetland in recent years. I remember years ago in Plymouth it was the dominant house spider, and occurred in every home and building, often in huge numbers. It was under the bench I sat at every day. Bites were almost unheard of. Severity is usually on the scale of a nettle sting.
The guy in the article would have had about the same reaction if he had fallen into a nettle patch wearing only a pair of shorts.
For comparison, size for size, the common wasp is the most venomous animal in Europe. Its sting is incredibly potent for the size of the animal.
Thank you kindly so I don't need to fret about any of them, but just keep an eye on the wasps come September time
I kind of live with the credo that if there's a beastie in my house it's out, or it's dead.
I know I'll never get them all, but I'll give it a blooming good try
atb,
M
so I don't need to fret about any of them, but just keep an eye on the wasps come September time I kind of live with the credo that if there's a beastie in my house it's out, or it's dead.
I know I'll never get them all, but I'll give it a blooming good try
atb,
M
Pleasure.
To be honest in your part of the world, the only thing I'd worry about would be midges.
Anything will bite if you give it no option (like trapping it in your clothes). I was bitten in the big toe by a common house spider once. It was in my slipper, and I put my bare foot in...
To be honest in your part of the world, the only thing I'd worry about would be midges.
Anything will bite if you give it no option (like trapping it in your clothes). I was bitten in the big toe by a common house spider once. It was in my slipper, and I put my bare foot in...
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Got well bitten by ants last summer, only managed to sit on an ants nest wearing shorts, well that must be a self inflicted injury.
On a more serious note you don't know what you are allergic to until you are. I have had no problems with antibiotics until last year, when my my mouth and throat started swelling up after a dose of amoxicillin.
On a more serious note you don't know what you are allergic to until you are. I have had no problems with antibiotics until last year, when my my mouth and throat started swelling up after a dose of amoxicillin.
Toddy
We have them down here in Devon.
If you want to see one in the flesh, I could always catch a couple for you and send them up to you in a matchboxokenest:
We have them down here in Devon.
If you want to see one in the flesh, I could always catch a couple for you and send them up to you in a matchbox
okenest:
Black Widow does not breed in the UK, although specimens turn up every year. Give it time and it will probably become established in south-eastern England in the next 20-50 years.
The false widows in the article are actually known to prey on true Black Widows on the continent.
And yes, Brazillian Wandering spider, Phoneutria spp is probably the most dangerous spider in the world, just beating the Aussie funnel web by virtue of being even more aggressive, able to jump, and there not being a viable antivenom available.
Curiously, the spider responsive for the most human fatalities, at least in recent years, is the Banana spider, Heteropoda, which is big, but harmless. However it has a habit of getting into cars, and hiding up under the sun visor. Drivers get the sun in their eyes, put the visor down, and get this huge spider land in their lap :yikes: For some reason many of them lose control of their vehicle at that point, with unfortunate consequences.
Again, mainly an Aussie thing.
The false widows in the article are actually known to prey on true Black Widows on the continent.
And yes, Brazillian Wandering spider, Phoneutria spp is probably the most dangerous spider in the world, just beating the Aussie funnel web by virtue of being even more aggressive, able to jump, and there not being a viable antivenom available.
Curiously, the spider responsive for the most human fatalities, at least in recent years, is the Banana spider, Heteropoda, which is big, but harmless. However it has a habit of getting into cars, and hiding up under the sun visor. Drivers get the sun in their eyes, put the visor down, and get this huge spider land in their lap :yikes: For some reason many of them lose control of their vehicle at that point, with unfortunate consequences.
Again, mainly an Aussie thing.
Fair enough, although I was sure I'd read about a colony being found over several years in the Devonport (dock) area of Plymouth. Use to live down that way, so I noticed those articles in the local press! Suppose it could have been the false widow though, and the journos got it wrong..
I was down in Plymouth too for a while. A colony of Black Widows is possible as a bunch of imported spiders, but would not have lasted long, and they definitely are not on the list of UK breeding species as published by the British Arachnological Society.
As you said, likely the press got it wrong. Again.
As you said, likely the press got it wrong. Again.
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