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Post by mum123 on Jul 14, 2016 19:26:52 GMT
I think I have one living in my conservatory do i need to worry? Any advice please.
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Post by mum123 on Jul 14, 2016 19:58:10 GMT
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Post by rowanberry on Jul 14, 2016 20:07:02 GMT
I think you only need to worry if someone in your household has a depressed immune system or is recovering from a serious illness, which would apply in any sort of sting, (even a beesting can cause a serious allergic reaction in such a case.) I did find this article on the BBC website, which is more sensible than the typical scare-mongering ones I came across in some newspapers... www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24636116This is a (very bad) photo of one I took last year when I was staying with friends in Cornwall...it was in their caravan. One member of the party had been quite unwell for awhile, (had been on chemo) so we did get rid of it.  False Widow spider by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr |
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Post by ayjay on Jul 14, 2016 20:15:36 GMT
From what I've read about them they're like a large percentage of wild things: if you leave them alone they'll leave you alone. They certainly don't go looking for people to bite.
Our son has been with us for the last couple of days, (finally removing the last couple of tons of his junk from our house) and he said we had a couple in the conservatory (amongst his stuff), I don't know how long they've been there but they definitely haven't bitten anybody yet.
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Post by mum123 on Jul 14, 2016 20:21:56 GMT
Is mine the same as mine is all black? Also the spider shares the conservatory with my macaw parrot at night.
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Post by alf1951 on Jul 15, 2016 5:40:00 GMT
There appears to be some faint markings on the abdomen of your spider. I'm no expert but it looks like Steatoda grossa or just possibly bipunctata. We have shared our home with quite a few over the years with no problem. The one with the nasty bite (if reports are to be believed) is the slightly larger Steatoda nobilis but it has much clearer markings on its abdomen than your picture shows - more like Rowanberry's in fact. It is said to have a liking for elevated positions in conservatories and kitchens. Again, we've had plenty in our home. Any bites we've had have been insignificant and most likely from pet fleas than the spiders.
Alf
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Post by Tringa on Jul 15, 2016 7:53:46 GMT
I agree with the above, unless there is a good reason to remove it, then just leave it alone. There is always the possibility of an adverse allergic reaction but this is rare and as far as I have read no more likely with the bite of a false black widow than with that of a bee or wasp sting. There has been quite a bit in the media recently and I suspect that some of the reported alleged spider bites are actually bites from other creatures. Some of the much more common biting insects (eg mosquitoes, horse flies, Blandford fly) are able to bite severely and are, I believe, responsible for many more incidents than spiders. Here is another article about false balck widows. www.falsewidowspider.org.uk/bitesDave |
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Post by Cotham Marble on Jul 15, 2016 11:25:45 GMT
Off topic really for the original question, but this seems sort of relevant: I've spent quite a lot of my life in close contact with invertebrates and I have never been bitten by a spider - or rather hadn't because two days ago I got a nasty nip on my ear !! from a Dysdera crocata. If I'd been pootling around in the shed, or garden or loft I might not have been discombobulated, but this was in the kitchen. I can only conclude that said spider was making its way across the ceiling, was confused by the polarising of light reflecting off my largely hair free scalp and was compelled to drop downwards. I'm afraid my own reflex slap to the side of my scull caused death of D.crocata but I've suffered no long term effects. I did however take the precaution of applying liberal amounts of antiseptic, which is probably wise in the case of any bite, given the chance of the introduction of some uncommon microbes.
Anyway kamikazee spiders of whatever species seem pretty rare so living with them where ever possible is the best approach. I did once get bitten on the leg by an ant in a Chinese restaurant in Dorchester
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Post by ayjay on Jul 15, 2016 15:33:48 GMT
I did once get bitten on the leg by an ant in a Chinese restaurant in Dorchester A Red Ant got me once on the inside of my thigh, that was some fierce pain, (or maybe just shock) I do know I've never dropped my trousers so quickly before or since, fortunately I was alone in the middle of a field. The same field, (it was next to the River Mimram in Hertfordshire) on another occasion, saw me get a visit from a policeman: it was a hot day, I was down to just my shorts and snoozing beside the stream with my feet dangling in the water.A passing train passenger reported a body lying in the field to the police. |
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Post by mum123 on Jul 15, 2016 16:47:30 GMT
Thank you all for your feedback,will leave it alone.
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