The False Black Widow Spider

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Letter to Branches




No. 862/11
Ref E6
Date: 12 October 2011

To: All Branches,


Dear Colleagues,

The False Black Widow Spider

The CWU Health Safety and Environment Department is re-issuing a warning first issued in 2009 over a rise in UK's most dangerous spider due to milder winters which has led to the rapid rise in numbers of the "False Black Widow Spider".

Experts have concluded that the milder winters and year on year, record breaking hot summers in the UK are keeping more of the spiders alive. It used to be only a handful of spiders that would survive the cold weather so the numbers were always kept down. But now they are all surviving the winter and are crawling out of hibernation earlier to mate. The result has been numbers have just rocketed into the hundreds of thousands. The species - only the female of which bites - had been considered native to Devon and Dorset but has spread as far as East Anglia. Recent reports of bites by BT members are in Canvey Island Essex. The spider usually lives on walls, fences and tree bark.

It may be no bigger than a pea, but its bite can put a grown man in hospital. The "False Black Widow Spider" species, officially called steatoda nobilis, originally came from the Canary and Madeira Islands over a 100 years ago probably in a cargo of bananas. The species had kept a low profile since arriving and it's been established in Devon for a long time but in recent years has been rapidly spreading along the south coast and up the to east of England and is likely to spread northwards in years to come according to insect experts at the Natural History Museum.

This elegant spider has a black/brown bulbous abdomen with pale markings and the females grow to 15mm. They live in walls, fences and the barks of trees and eat insects, other invertebrates and even other spiders. It is closely related to the black widow spider whose poison can be fatal to humans. It poses a threat to gardeners and anyone else working or spending leisure time outdoors. Their nest is small, round, white & is about the same size as a table-tennis ball. They are found inside houses also. 

Gardeners and Outdoor workers have been warned to be on their guard in the future. A bite from the False Black Widow Spider delivers enough poison to cause severe pain and inflammation. The severity of symptoms from any spider bite depends on the amount of venom that is injected. Also flu-like symptoms, aches, sweats, fatigue, perspiring, cold and shaky, chest pains, swelling and tingling of fingers are some of the symptoms which can be experienced.  One study found that the pain was far more severe than that from a wasp or bee sting. Normally an antihistamine tablets and cream will take the pain away but, depending on the amount of venom injected, a doctor may need to be seen.
 
The spiders have previously been found in communications and electricity boxes so engineers and electricians should head the warning. There's no need to panic however, just be aware. Despite increased numbers and range the likelihood of being bitten by a False Black Widow Spider remains very low.
No one has ever died of a spider bite in the UK and the number of reported bites from spiders in general is minimal. The Natural History Museum's Insect Information Service (IIS) hears of about 10 cases of spider bites each year in the UK.

Videos of the False Black Widow Spider can be found at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGuG0Sbyn1g" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spsIsNLX7CI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Yours Sincerely



Dave Joyce
CWU National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

[hazzeem025]

thought it was an update about moyra greene........

[pinstripe]

thought it was an update about moyra greene........

Now that was funny.

[mazza111]

Milder winters? They sure as fk aren't in Scotland then! Summer? What summer?

[DGP1]

No milder winters over here either...................but colder summers...............and wetter

[pinstripe]

No milder winters over here either...................but colder summers...............and wetter

Look on the bright side. You'll never get sun burn.

And you don't have these Mutant Toxic Killer Zombie Vampire Spiders either.

[DGP1]

Doesn't look like it would stand up to my boot

[POSTMAN]

Doesn't look like it would stand up to my boot

^^^^^^You're gonna get me in trouble. ^^^^^^

Teebs,we've a Defcon going on here!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

[TrueBlueTerrier]

^^^^^^You're gonna get me in trouble. ^^^^^^

Teebs,we've a Defcon going on here!

Not from the yanks

[BELIAL]

There's no need to panic however, just be aware. Despite increased numbers and range the likelihood of being bitten by a False Black Widow Spider remains very low.

Well I must be the most unlucky bugger ever . Bastards have got me three times. Forget stamping on them cos you never see them. You feel the pain of the bite though, just like a red hot knitting needle dipped in acid being stuck into your flesh. When it happens you assume horsefly and do the instinctive slap . When the pain kicks in you take off the T-shirt ,get suspicious when you clock the two blood spots ;and run like the wind when on closer inspection you notice the two detached long spider legs stuck to your clothing(they are big). The other two bites were worse though ,more venom I guess. Both times the sods bit right through denim jeans -result leg swollen like a tree trunk with pain like toothache ;skin so stretched it felt fit to burst ; heat and itching like you won't believe and your knee joint goes on strike . Take care,I blame Clegg

[DGP1]

Take care,I blame Clegg