What type of spider is this?

whodafunk

Attaching picture of it. Large bodied. Just interested I see it most days in my shed! Thanks

whodafunk

Pic attached

CalamariFritti

Saw them myself a few times. Was wondering is that one of those false widows or what people call them. After googling that it seems it may be.

whodafunk

CalamariFritti wrote: »

Saw them myself a few times. Was wondering is that one of those false widows or what people call them. After googling that it seems it may be.

Thanks. That is what I was thinking also. Wondering are they dangerous/common in Ireland?

dogmatix

whodafunk wrote: »

Thanks. That is what I was thinking also. Wondering are they dangerous/common in Ireland?

Not common everywhere yet but becoming more so especially on the east coast. Bite can be fairly painful but not dangerous - never been bitten myself thankfully!

batman_oh

Could be a false widow depending on the colouring etc - lots about now in Dublin and also lots of people mistaking other stuff for them!

...Ghost...

Found two in back garden last night. Pretty sure it's a false widow. Suburbs in North Dublin. I'll be exterminating these anytime I see them.

TK Lemon

I’d be sure that it’s a black widow spider myself. Best off being exterminated! :P

Morpork

They are false widows. I have them in my garden also. This is the season for them too so expect to see more. They bite as a reflex when they feel pressure on the body which is the most common reason for bites.

If you hang washing on the line in the garden check the clothes before taking them off. I've brought a couple into the house that way.

batman_oh

...Ghost... wrote: »

Found two in back garden last night. Pretty sure it's a false widow. Suburbs in North Dublin. I'll be exterminating these anytime I see them.

Yeah that's one alright - I've had a good lot myself since first seeing them last year in North Dublin. Only one so far inside!

jmkennedyie

There are different species of False Widow in Ireland.

I found Steatoda grossa (also known as cupboard spider) living in a pile of wood inside a wooden garden shed. Typical habitat for that species. Hard to find definitive information online about them in Ireland but a specialist in native arachnids confirmed identity, advised pretty widespread in Ireland, no big deal, recommended I release them back where they were.

...Ghost...

jmkennedyie wrote: »

There are different species of False Widow in Ireland.

I found Steatoda grossa (also known as cupboard spider) living in a pile of wood inside a wooden garden shed. Typical habitat for that species. Hard to find definitive information online about them in Ireland but a specialist in native arachnids confirmed identity, advised pretty widespread in Ireland, no big deal, recommended I release them back where they were.

If non native, or dangerous....splat is the answer. I prefer to reduce the risk of any of my children, or pets from a trip to the hospital/vet after running into one of these spiders in the garden. The chance of a bite might be small, but it grows if you let them populate the garden freely, you'll eventually find a nest of these in the house :eek: :pac:

jmkennedyie

I understand where you coming form. I trapped my 3 of them alive in case they are a species with venom of some use to the venom research lab in NUIG. Then released them after the insights from the contact I made.

It sounds like cupboard spider avoids bright spaces. I'm not worried about them coming indoors.

I never found good scientific reference if native or not. But of course not much was native 10,000 years ago when country covered in glaciers.

Not listed as an invasive species as per Invasive Species Ireland.

Alas it seems arachnid distribution not tracked on NBDC