This little darling has taken residence in our bathroom although I have just 'persuaded' it to move to the allotment as I don't want any of us to get bitten while we are in the bath !!......
bit of info
False widow spider, Steatoda nobilis
Body size
Female to 15mm; male to 10mm.
Appearance
Rotund, brown with pale markings. Apart from colour, differs from Latrodectus (black widow spiders) in having teeth on the chelicerae. Only female (photo) bites.
Habitat, range and season
Buildings and fences. Originally a native of the Canary Islands and Madeira; now established in the southern and eastern coastal region of England and inland in Surrey.
First recorded in the UK
1879. Not considered to be established until the 1980's (Jones, 1987).
Bite reports
The bite itself is not usually felt but, within a short space of time, a local burning sensation is followed by radiating pain ('far more severe than a bee or wasp sting', Warrell et al., 1991).
Now a cute pic of the doggies ....plum tuckered out after a romp in the woods ....awww......
