'Alarming' rise in False Widow spiders in Ireland

Kermit.de.frog · 27-05-2021 3:21am #1

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/big-rise-in-spider-species-in-ireland-that-can-hospitalise-people-1.4576159?mode=amp

Not surprised, seen a few around my abode in the last couple of years. They are quite distinctive.

Interesting most recorded bites are while people are in bed because I had read somewhere they mostly stay out doors or half in half out environments.

I have never seen one inside the house.

Anyway you're advised not to just kill them but take a picture if you've been bitten and have identified the suspect.

Any boardsies been bitten?

fritzelly · 27-05-2021 3:23am

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Interesting most recorded bites are while people are in bed because I had read somewhere they mostly stay out doors or half in half out environments.

Ahhh here, I'm emigrating

Burt Renaults · 27-05-2021 4:10am

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Any boardsies been bitten?

I may have been bitten by one a couple of years ago. I thought it was just a normal pregnant-looking spider. It bit the back of my hand when I was trying to put it outside. A bit like a wasp sting, but not as painful (although it's at least 30 years since I've been stung by a wasp, so I don't know) and no noticeable swelling afterwards.

corkonion · 27-05-2021 4:34am

"Advised not to kill them".... sure

xhomelezz · 27-05-2021 6:09am

Never got bitten by spider and planning to keep it that way

Junkyard Tom · 27-05-2021 6:10am

Probably claiming false widow's allowance, free money for Jenny-eight-legs come lately. Sick of this.

Buddy Bubs · 27-05-2021 7:09am

Is it more alarming, less alarming or the same amount of alarming as the last times this same story came up?
Alarming rise in the use of dramatic headlines.

Cookie_Monster · 27-05-2021 7:22am

So far in Ireland 16 people have been hospitalised with one person being admitted for a week.

What a crap article, since when: that 16 this year, last couple of years, since founding of the state?

SeaFields · 27-05-2021 7:48am

fritzelly wrote: »

Ahhh here, I'm emigrating

Me too.. feckin spiders. I think I'll head to Australia....

Wanderer78 · 27-05-2021 7:50am

Kermit.de.frog wrote:

Any boardsies been bitten?

No bites, but I've seen a couple of them now, one appeared in my car, one cold winters evening, scared the sh1te outta me

Vittu · 27-05-2021 7:58am

My house has considerable numbers outside. Killed plenty so far. Never saw them inside. In Co Cavan. Never bitten.

Day Lewin · 27-05-2021 8:00am

How do I recognise one of these?

ArthurG · 27-05-2021 8:01am

Always find a few of them around the doors of the house during summer. Ugly f**kers.

ArthurG · 27-05-2021 8:01am

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Probably claiming false widow's allowance, free money for Jenny-eight-legs come lately. Sick of this.

PM me later xoxo

SouthWesterly · 27-05-2021 8:02am

SeaFields wrote: »

Me too.. feckin spiders. I think I'll head to Australia....

Maybe you should consider Africa. You won't have time to think about them with all the lions and hyenas outside your door.

Wanderer78 · 27-05-2021 8:03am

Day Lewin wrote:

How do I recognise one of these?

Pics in the article, plenty on the Internets to, they're very distinctive, they look fairly menacing tbh

grassylawn · 27-05-2021 8:24am

I have seen a number of them in the last few years and none before. They lurk outside in places like lift-up boxes and inside drain access points. What I find most interesting is that my instinctive reaction is a cold fear at the top of my spine, which I never experience with other spiders. I felt that the first time I saw them before reading they could actually hurt humans. And it wasn't because they were unknown. Just yesterday I saw a white spider on a flower that I hadn't seen before and had nothing like that reaction. I wonder if it is ancestoral memory, reacting to something that looks like a black widow.

I don't get the "don't kill" advice. I always smash the ****ers - with something with a bit of reach.

TheValeyard · 27-05-2021 8:35am

Arent they an invasive species, so why the no kill thing?

Also, they bite. Fcuk that. I wouldnt kill the big hairy garden spider that you can actually hear tapping on the wooden floor as it moves across, but these guys can die.

JimmyVik · 27-05-2021 8:37am

I think they are hatching the last few weeks.
I saw one in the garage 3 years ago.
Loads of them in the garage last year.
Loads in the garage this year again, but also ive killed 4 of them in the house in the last 3 weeks.
Its an invasion

dhaughton99 · 27-05-2021 8:45am

I was bitten on the stomach by one and it was sore and irritating for a few day and was left with a mark for months. Thing was in my T-shirt when I went to put it on one morning.

buried · 27-05-2021 8:47am

TheValeyard wrote: »

Arent they an invasive species, so why the no kill thing?

Also, they bite. Fcuk that. I wouldnt kill the big hairy garden spider that you can actually hear tapping on the wooden floor as it moves across, but these guys can die.

Exactly. Seeing as how these things have grown to such large numbers, that obviously means they are wiping out our own native species who can't contend with them for territory. Ima advise we act like this

27-05-2021 8:57am

grassylawn wrote: »

What I find most interesting is that my instinctive reaction is a cold fear at the top of my spine, which I never experience with other spiders.

I know what you mean. That feeling is extraordinary! It cuts through whatever everyday thing you were doing at the time. Reacted that way to a small caterpillar type thing I encountered in Northern Mexico.. turns out it was a highly poisonous variety. So, is it epigenetics and ancestral memory or something like Jung's collective unconscious (or neither)? Either way, or something more mundane altogether, it's the strangest feeling.

JimmyVik · 27-05-2021 9:01am

buried wrote: »

Exactly. Seeing as how these things have grown to such large numbers, that obviously means they are wiping out our own native species who can't contend with them for territory. Ima advise we act like this

Not wiping them out.
We have loads of false widows now and a good few of those things the size of the palm of your hand already this year.
They big ones tend to appear in September mostly. No shortage of them last year.

emo72 · 27-05-2021 9:01am

Day Lewin wrote: »

How do I recognise one of these?

Black, small and more than 2 legs? Then nuke it.

batman_oh · 27-05-2021 9:02am

We've had loads of them outside the house in the past 3 years or so. Never saw one before that. Just the one inside so far but I'm sure there'll be more!

plodder · 27-05-2021 9:03am

SeaFields wrote: »

Me too.. feckin spiders. I think I'll head to Australia....

Indeed. They had the sunshine, but at least we didn't have the dangerous spiders .. until now ...

What next? Crocodiles?

27-05-2021 9:05am

plodder wrote: »

What next? Crocodiles?

Tree rhinos

plodder · 27-05-2021 9:09am

MeepMeep2021 wrote: »

Tree rhinos

Ah, rhinos' bark is worse than their bite. It's hippos we really need to worry about.

JimmyVik · 27-05-2021 9:23am

Here is a good view of one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTT48_F1ack

On warm days you will see them in the grass.
Most of the time though I see them just outside windows or doors just under the sill.
Little sh!ts are probably biding their time til the windows or doors open

loyatemu · 27-05-2021 9:53am

JimmyVik wrote: »

Here is a good view of one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTT48_F1ack

On warm days you will see them in the grass.
Most of the time though I see them just outside windows or doors just under the sill.
Little sh!ts are probably biding their time til the windows or doors open

I've never seen one in the grass, they live in nooks and crannies around the house and shed. Tons of them here, as the article says, probably the most common spider I see around the house, but always outside, and they're not remotely aggressive, if you go near them they hide.

They seem to like nesting around window frames, there were loads of little eggsacs there earlier in the year. I went around and vacuumed them up, but it doesn't seem to have made any difference to the number of spiders we have now.

stoneill · 27-05-2021 9:55am

MeepMeep2021 wrote: »

So, is it epigenetics and ancestral memory or something like Jung's collective unconscious (or neither)? )

Fancy way of saying you a big wuss.

Kermit.de.frog · 27-05-2021 11:54am

Can we open our borders and give homes to jumping spiders instead?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEMPLrWh35g

Billy Mays · 27-05-2021 11:58am

Spotted one of these on the ceiling in my living room last week

Caught it in a glass and chucked it outside

Sheepdish1 · 27-05-2021 12:12pm

MeepMeep2021 wrote: »

I know what you mean. That feeling is extraordinary! It cuts through whatever everyday thing you were doing at the time. Reacted that way to a small caterpillar type thing I encountered in Northern Mexico.. turns out it was a highly poisonous variety. So, is it epigenetics and ancestral memory or something like Jung's collective unconscious (or neither)? Either way, or something more mundane altogether, it's the strangest feeling.

I’ve had this too before I knew what they were. I usually just pick up spiders on my hand and place them outside but instinctively knew not to pick these up. I like insects and found it interesting my reaction. I find them in my house from time to time and pop them in a glass and put them outside. I’m not sure why people feel the need to kill them (or any insects really).

archfi · 27-05-2021 12:13pm

An expert on radio this morning says they are here to stay, yet his advice was to not kill them and shoo them back outside, yeah to repopulate - it's invasive and it bites FFS.
Came in via freight/travellers from Canaries and Madeira around 1997/98 according to him and population started off in...Bray.
Most bites when putting on clothes and when in the sack!

FIRE.

Sheepdish1 · 27-05-2021 12:16pm

loyatemu wrote: »

I've never seen one in the grass, they live in nooks and crannies around the house and shed. Tons of them here, as the article says, probably the most common spider I see around the house, but always outside, and they're not remotely aggressive, if you go near them they hide.

They seem to like nesting around window frames, there were loads of little eggsacs there earlier in the year. I went around and vacuumed them up, but it doesn't seem to have made any difference to the number of spiders we have now.

Yes I agree. They aren’t aggressive and try to hide when disturbed. They are much harder to catch than most spiders and just want to hide.

xzanti · 27-05-2021 12:18pm

I thought I had one in my kitchen a few weeks back. Very similar looking markings on the body.

A quick google image search brought up the innocent Lace Weaver spider. Very common in rural areas and completely harmless.

I wonder how many false widow sightings were in fact the lace weaver.

biko · 27-05-2021 1:37pm

LizardKing · 27-05-2021 1:44pm

Saw this in my sitting room .. safely removed outside the house via Glass and kitchen towel.

T'was a Big Un

Ken Tucky · 27-05-2021 1:49pm

WD40 works great...as in killing them

Dyr · 27-05-2021 1:54pm

LizardKing wrote: »

Saw this in my sitting room .. safely removed outside the house via Glass and kitchen towel.

T'was a Big Un

loyatemu · 27-05-2021 2:01pm

that's not a false widow, looks like a common/giant house spider.

odyssey06 · 27-05-2021 2:04pm

Vittu wrote: »

My house has considerable numbers outside. Killed plenty so far. Never saw them inside. In Co Cavan. Never bitten.

This sounds like the start of a horror movie... all contact lost after the last diary entry recorded

LizardKing · 27-05-2021 2:06pm

loyatemu wrote: »

that's not a false widow, looks like a common/giant house spider.

I thought the markings matched that meme posted earlier ... so I said I'd post the pics I got...

I think you are correct about giant house spider , still scared the crap outta me and the kids :-)

Wibbs · 27-05-2021 2:19pm

I got bitten by one in 2019. Out in the garden taking clothes off the line. I disturbed one that had hidden in the fold at the top where the peg was. Bit me in the thumb, quick as you like. No pain initially so just thought it had run over the thumb. Then the pain started. Like a wasp sting. Then the burning in the thumb started and it swelled up within five minutes to a third bigger than normal. That died down after a few hours, but the burning pain remained for about a day.

ambro25 · 27-05-2021 2:20pm

plodder wrote: »

Indeed. They had the sunshine, but at least we didn't have the dangerous spiders .. until now ...

What next? Crocodiles?

Puddle sharks

.42. · 27-05-2021 2:21pm

I thought they were supposed to be small.

They are the size of a 2 euro.

Found one in the porch

Sent the pic to NUI Galway who confirmed

Hi ****

Yes, this is a noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis. Looks like an adult female.

Regards
JP

JimmyVik · 27-05-2021 2:26pm

xzanti wrote: »

I thought I had one in my kitchen a few weeks back. Very similar looking markings on the body.

A quick google image search brought up the innocent Lace Weaver spider. Very common in rural areas and completely harmless.

I wonder how many false widow sightings were in fact the lace weaver.

Very few id say.
They are everywhere now. Definitely much more distinctive than the weaver.
Big round shiny body on them. Cant be mistaken.

JimmyVik · 27-05-2021 2:27pm

LizardKing wrote: »

I thought the markings matched that meme posted earlier ... so I said I'd post the pics I got...

I think you are correct about giant house spider , still scared the crap outta me and the kids :-)

The house spider is bigger. The false widow has a big fat shiny body.
I hate them all tbh

brevity · 27-05-2021 2:37pm

.42. wrote: »

I thought they were supposed to be small.

They are the size of a 2 euro.

Found one in the porch

Sent the pic to NUI Galway who confirmed

"Regards" to you to JP.

Maybe some advice on what to do would be helpful...

.42. · 27-05-2021 2:46pm

brevity wrote: »

"Regards" to you to JP.

Maybe some advice on what to do would be helpful...

I just moved it to a bush across the road.

'Alarming' rise in False Widow spiders in Ireland

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