segestria florentina (tube web spider)

[mole]

I have at least 15 of these spiders in my garden (walls, garage,shed and fence), does anyone know the territorial range of each spider, as they seem to keep themselves about half a metre apart form each other.

also, as an introduced spicies, that seems to be spreading rapidly, does anyone know what impact they may be having on our indiginous populations of assorted insects and other prey invertebrats?

[Wild-Woman]

They've been in England for over a century now I believe. I work where there are plenty of them, in the walls of buildings and in other structures. I don't think they have had any impact on invertebrate populations locally, that is here anyway.
They are certainly an amazing spider-especially the massive female.
Jules

[Venger]

Ah hiding it in general wildlife eh....(usually spider questions end up in the insects forum)

I think it's around 260 years WW.
I seriously doubt they are making any dent in our insect population so I wouldn't worry. You have to remember that the warmer weather () which is allowing the spider to expand its habitat also has the same effect for its insect prey - some species are suffering a boost in the same way as the spider, so in the end it'll balance out.

Even though given a broad range of insect prey, spiders can become quite selective in feeding (killing and discarding prey, rather than eating them, sometimes to the point of killing 50 prey a day which is far more than a single spider can eat, but thats usually orb weavers.)
They are not going to do the same amount of damage, as say, the pesticides/insecticides a farmer is using in his field - sadly pesticides/insecticides seem to kill more spiders than the specific pest problem)
I'd enjoy them - pop out in the early evening to view them, though you might see them at all times of the day.

[Nick1986]

does anyone know if you can get these tube web spiders up north?

[Meta menardi]

The current range is restricted to Southern areas, though by next week they could be anywhere. There is another Spider that is quite similar in form and habit, though smaller, Segestria senoculata. Lives in a tube web, same kind of web, adder type markings in the back but a brown body. If you think you have seen a tube web spider, but smaller and in the North (also in the South), it is probably S. senoculata.

[Nick1986]

very interesting info. i know that we get woodlouse spiders up here. i saw one once in Lytham, Lancashire. was an a amzing looking spider. thanks for that

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by Venger

Ah hiding it in general wildlife eh....(usually spider questions end up in the insects forum)

I think it's around 260 years WW.
I seriously doubt they are making any dent in our insect population so I wouldn't worry. You have to remember that the warmer weather () which is allowing the spider to expand its habitat also has the same effect for its insect prey - some species are suffering a boost in the same way as the spider, so in the end it'll balance out.

.

What always bugs me about this is the fact this spider which is very common in southern europe and eastwars towards Georgia has to suffer some very cold european winters. Infact some would agrue our winters on average are greatly milder then the winters of this spiders native lands.

[Nick1986]

i think that the way our winters are going, we may even soon get black widow spiders making their homes over here. i know we have false widow spiders which are a close relative of them. we av about 640 species of spider, but france have like 3 times as many. well gutted!!

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by Nick1986

i think that the way our winters are going, we may even soon get black widow spiders making their homes over here. i know we have false widow spiders which are a close relative of them. we av about 640 species of spider, but france have like 3 times as many. well gutted!!

the black widow is found almost every where in the USA.

New york has colder winters then we do, its not unusual for days sometimes even weeks of sub zero temps in the winter... yet the black widow thrives.

[Tormentil]

Originally Posted by Nick1986

does anyone know if you can get these tube web spiders up north?

I've not seen any at Morrisons yet.

[kat weasel]

Hello all,

I'm now going to sound a bit simple but I have just joined this forum to get some information.

My garden is full of these beasties (I am petrified of spiders and have even been known to become hysterical over dead ones) and what I need to know is - how likely is it that I will get bitten by one and is there anything I can do to make them want to live somewhere else?

I don't want to kill them because a) my other half would go mental and b) I don't have big enough balls for that anyway!

I am becoming slightly obsessed with them having taken over my little world (they are all over my hometown of Portsmouth) and I just want to hear how (ir)rational I am actually being!

Thanks
Kat xxx

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by kat weasel

Hello all,

I'm now going to sound a bit simple but I have just joined this forum to get some information.

My garden is full of these beasties (I am petrified of spiders and have even been known to become hysterical over dead ones) and what I need to know is - how likely is it that I will get bitten by one and is there anything I can do to make them want to live somewhere else?

I don't want to kill them because a) my other half would go mental and b) I don't have big enough balls for that anyway!

I am becoming slightly obsessed with them having taken over my little world (they are all over my hometown of Portsmouth) and I just want to hear how (ir)rational I am actually being!

Thanks
Kat xxx

If you poke your finger down the tube, then you'd be asking for a nip. Otherwise, when they do come out, just leave them to do their thing (usually male looking for a female) and they really won't do you any harm.
They are in and out like a flash when prey steps on the tripwires that radiate out from the tube entrance.
If you're having trouble connecting with these spectacular spiders, then may I suggest getting to know all about them. Knowledge can dispell fear sometimes. It did with me years ago.

There really isn't any way to make them go elsewhere. They love walls and fence posts and anywhere they can make a nice deep tube.Enjoy them, I would!

[No.9 Spider]

Rest assured that these spiders as all others have no interest in us and would not actively pursue us. I'd say that 99% of bites occur when a spider is either trapped in clothing or bedding and feels threatened causing a defensive bite. The other 1% are probably people putting their fingers where they shouldn't!



No. 9 Spider

[wildherbalian85]

Keep doors shut from evening onwards, and don't lean up against walls or fences in the evening or night and you should be fine.

[kat weasel]

Thanks for all your answers - I am starting to get a bit more used to them being around!

I must admit (even though I have no desire to get too close), they really are interesting things. We've got them of all sizes and som with webs that radiate for about 4 inches and those that fit into a hole only about 3mm across with no visible web on the outside.

I do feel slightly better about them now that I have found a little more information on them. Glad that they are only aggressive when threatened as it's only my boyfriend who's stupid enough to poke them anyway!

Thanks again - you've made a previously very scared moron a bit happier about going in the garden!

Kat xxx