Thursday, 5 May 2011

Spider ID Required

I've got something strange in my lean-to. It's got eight legs with lots of knees and is a shiny black/red colour. It has three, white square spots on its abdomen with a thick white line across it. I think it's a False Widow and my hair is standing on end just typing about it.

Does anyone recognise this spider? It's about an inch long. I'm too scared to move it (wimp) but respect spiders immensely so don't want to kill it.


I sent the photo to Environmental Health but they haven't replied yet.
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9 comments:

  1. Paula RC5 May 2011 at 20:07

    Dare I ask what it looks like from the top as all the pictures in my books don't side it from the underneath?

    Okay... silly questions :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lily Childs5 May 2011 at 20:15

    Sorry Jarmara - that's as close as I've ever got to it. When I first noticed it nearly six months ago it was very black and shiny and I didn't notice that white stripe, only the three dots. Then last month I spotted it on its web and the sunlight shining through it made it look very red; that was when I also noticed the stripe.

    The cobwebs are quite matted - and actually there are several in the lean-to but I've only ever seen the one spider. I'm too scared to attempt to remove the webs - just in case!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown5 May 2011 at 20:37

    Urrrgh!

    ReplyDelete
  4. William Davoll5 May 2011 at 21:41

    Sounds like you need a spider jar and an Arachnid Wrangler.

    Good descriptions of markings on this site

    http://www.uksafari.com/falsewidows.htm

    ReplyDelete
  5. AllWriteFictionAdvice5 May 2011 at 21:51

    It looks like a steatoda nobilis - a false black widow spider. Loads of them about in warmer weather and they come in all shapes and sizes.

    If you go to http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-452264/Warning-rise-UKs-dangerous-spider-warmer-winters.html

    there is a pic pretty much the same as yours.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lily Childs5 May 2011 at 22:25

    Thanks William, thanks Ally. I'd seen both sites and both contributed to my deduction that it might be a False Black Widow. I know they're not over-dangerous but they have put people in hospital so I'm not too happy. :(

    ReplyDelete
  7. David Barber5 May 2011 at 22:33

    It's a beauty, Lily. Love a good spider but I live with 3 women who won't go near them. I got bit by one when I was younger but it drives me up the wall trying to remember what type it was. See what I did there?? I was bitten though!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lily Childs5 May 2011 at 23:02

    You ARE Spider Man; bet you love a good scuttle.

    ReplyDelete
  9. David Barber7 May 2011 at 13:01

    I'm partial...

    ReplyDelete

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Lily Childs is a writer of horror, esoteric, mystery and chilling fiction.

If you see her dancing outside in a thunder storm - don't try to bring her in. She's safe.