Does Britain have any dangerous spiders?

Question

I am trying to teach my young son about spiders, and have been picking them up and have been encouraging him to the same, this is so that he is not scared of them when he gets older.
As far as I am aware there are no British spiders that are harmful to humans. Does anybody know any different?

Answer 1

A Natural History Museum expert has warned that global warming is giving invasive poisonous spiders the chance to thrive in Britain.

The false widow spider, Steatoda nobilis, was first recorded in the UK in 1897, according to the museum.

The female's bite can hospitalise an adult man. One victim reported: "Bitten on the shoulder. Initially the top of my arm ached, then felt itchy. Ten minutes later my armpit became numb. The skin was hot and sticky and looked wrinkled. The tenderness and itchiness lasted for some days (later said to be infected)."

Other effects include flu-like symptoms, stiffness, a burning sensation, and pain "more severe than a bee or wasp sting".

Until recently, the false widow's spread had been stymied by harsh weather. It was not fully established until the 1980s, but is now spreading rapidly east and north from its Dorset stronghold, and bite incidents are increasing.

Entomologist Stuart Hine told Thisislondon.co.uk: "There is no doubt in my mind that this is due to the milder winters caused by global warming.

"They are all surviving the winter and are crawling out of hibernation earlier to mate. The numbers have just rocketed into the hundreds of thousands."

Hine warned gardeners to be on the lookout for the new menace.

Answer 2

Redback spiders from Australia are well established in Belgium. They arrived with some timber some years ago.They have also been found in the UK but I don't know if they are established there. They are a widow spider and their bite can be fatal but usually only to children and elderly people. There is an antivenene available and there have been no deaths from a redback bite in Australia for a very long time. The brown widow from New Zealand is another traveller and could find its way into the UK.

Widow spiders have a particular shape which is easily recognised. There are many different species. Their colouring can vary considerably. They are not large but all of them bite and some bites can be fatal. Treat all of them as potentially dangerous and if you are bitten, seek merdical help.

Answer 3

The Black Widow spider belongs to a relatives called the Theridiidae. approximately 40 individuals of this relatives happen clearly in Britain yet none is risky. extra at present a number of different individuals of the Theridiidae have grew to become up right here interior the previous yet have oftentimes no longer survived using components - yet issues are changing. Steatoda grossa , the fake Black Widow, has how been standard for virtually two decades on the Isle of Wight and looks to be spreading someplace else. Its bite is gruesome yet no longer risky to human beings: there are comments that it killed a relatives's guinea pig. in case you reside everywhere in Britain and characteristic a storage or backyard shed, try poking aound the door physique or window frames. you will virtually fairly disturb an in depth relative, Steatoda bipunctata. that's black, around bodied and extremely modern. that's possibility loose.

Answer 4

How are ye. Me own advice is to come to live over here in The Emerald Isle (Ireland) we have not a one dangerous spider in the whole island of Ireland. Theres not a snake to be seen anywhere (Except at The Zoological Gardens in Dublin) but sure that's miles from anywhere!!!. And yes we have no bananas we have no bananas at all but that's a small price to pay for peace of mind.
But I must warn ye!!! be sure you bring an umbrella, for the rain never stops.lol

Answer 5

No... our largest spider is the wolf spider... it bites... but I've never met anyone who's been bitten by one... and it isn't poisonous.

We have only one poisonous snake... the Adder... apart from that... we don't have nay venomous creatures to be frightened of....

We do however have many reported sightings and reports and one or two injured dogs... attributed to wild cats... large and sleek like leopards... which many believe were released into the wild by private owners... when the keeping them was banned.

In the early hours... in lamplight... in the countryside where I lived... I once saw what looked at first like a fox... but clearly wasn't on closer observation... nor was it a dog... far too exotic... and far too large for any of our domestic cats... fascinating:-)

It's pretty safe inside the UK.... the only thing to fear... sadly... are people:-(

Answer 6

Nope, no native spiders are harmful to humans in Britain (even though some species of house-spider can be quite large).

Answer 7

There aren't any dangerous spiders,but one species does bite,its called the false widow, it's not poisonous though,it looks like the black widow.

Answer 8

there is one that's come over in a box of bananas its called a fake black widow, its called this because its not as dangerous as a black widow but its bite would need urgent attention, I'm not a hundred percent sure but i think there in Cornwall or some where in the country side i,ll have to get back to you on where they are exactly

Answer 9

No harmful ones but some do bite like the false black widow. And did you see the size of the one on Sky News? http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1283113,00.html EEEEKKK!! Good you are teaching your son not to fear them now. I'm really scared of them. Wish I was taught not to be.

Answer 10

There is a little known spider in the UK. It is only found in Leicestershire. It is called the nipple spider. Sounds crazy, I know son. Wikipedia it son.