 For Anyone Interested in the Wildlife of the United Kingdom |
 |
For Anyone Interested in the Wildlife of the United Kingdom |
|
|
Home | Search | UK Safari Shop | Identify It | News | Members Area | Contributors | E-cards | About |
 |
|
False Widows - Steatoda
grossa
Latin name: Steatoda grossa Size: Approximately 10mm (head and body length) Distribution: Found mainly in the southern half of the UK. Frequently found at coastal areas, especially in south west England Months seen: All year round Habitat: Usually found in houses and out buildings Food: Flies and other small insects Special features: The abdomen is a red-brown colour with a crescent shaped stripe at the front and three pale triangular spots along the top. These markings vary from spider to spider. Sometimes they're cream coloured (as above) and sometimes they're purple or very dark brown. This spider is frequently confused with the Black Widow, in fact the common name is 'False Widow'. The real Black Widow has a red marking on the base of the abdomen. The press (and Internet) is littered with tales of how dangerous this spider is. Every time someone gets bitten by one it creates a torrent of fear-inducing headlines. These stories generally highlight cases where the victim has had an allergic, and sometimes life-threatening reaction - the same as those experienced by people who are allergic to bee stings. For most people the bite from this spider feels something akin to a wasp sting.
|
|
 |
