False Widow spider: how to identify species in UK, do they bite, and are they deadly?

The change from summer to autumn not only brings colder weather and shorter days, but one of the UK’s most venomous aracnids also come out to play.

The false widow spider has hit the headlines once again after a 15-week-old baby in Ireland was bitten by the spider.

The incident led to the small child being taken to A&E, with mother Sarah Jane Dennehy telling the BBC: “Charlie was lying on his mat and all of a sudden he went apocalyptic - he had a real bout of purple screaming.

“I stripped off his trousers and his lower left leg was swollen, it was bright red and there were three bites.”

Charlie recovered 11 hours after being injected with the arachnid’s venom, but how do you identify the spider, and could a bite be deadly?

Here’s everything you need to know.

How do you identify a false widow spider?

A false widow spider is also known as ‘staetoda nobilis’.

The Wildlife Trust explained that while not native to the UK, it is believed that they first reached Britain in banana boxes from the Canary Islands in the 1800s.

With the arachnid being more commonly seen in homes in autumn, being able to identify them may be key to avoiding any bites.

The spider has a few identifying characteristics.

The Natural History Museum says: “[False widows] have distinctive sets of markings on their abdomens: they have a narrow white or lighter band around the front of the abdomen towards their head, and also other markings that vary by species. However, all of these marks can be variable, faded, or missing, especially in adult females.”

The museum added that female spider tend to has a “globular shiny abdomen” compared to their “smaller and less rounded” male counterparts.

A false widow is normally dark brown in colour, and have cream and dark brown marks in its body.

Do False Widow spiders bite?

Unfortunately for the arachniphobes among us, this species of spider does in fact bite.

While they become more common in autumn, the false widow spider tends to be more prevelant southern England, although this has spread out to further afield in past few decades.

According to Eden District Council, human are normally only bitten as a defensive action, and being bitten is actually fairly uncommon.

Are false widow spider bites deadly?

Bites from false widow spiders have been compared to that of a bee or wasp sting and are not known to be deadly.

If bitten by a false widow, you are unlikely to develop severe symptoms.

However, a minority of people have experienced symptoms such as throbbing pain, swelling and tingling in the fingers. These symptoms normally last a few days

If you have been bitten or suspect you have been bitten by the spider and you experience severe or extended symptoms, you should contact a medical professional.