Unidentified Spider

[tafrost]

I hope this is in the right section (I know spiders are not insects!).

Can anyone ID this for me. I bit my colleuge this morning on the neck after he put a jumper on. It was found in SE Kent inside.

It is about 10-12mm in length from head to abdomen.

Many Thanks
T. Frost

[No.9 Spider]

Well it looks like a Meta species, and probably Meta menardi (Cave spider) looks favourite. This is a subterranean species usually found in caves, dark tunnels such as longer canal ones, and often large drainage pipes.
A bit more info would be good and interesting as to where your mate may have been prior to 'finding' the spider.

Effects from the bite would also be of great interest!


No.9 Spider

[tafrost]

I think you are right have googled the latin name! Many Thanks for the info and I will post any effects of the bite on here at a later date. Is it known to bite and be poisonous? It must have been hiding in his jumper. We are at a rural works yard, but no underground works take place from here, and we have no underground places in the yard. It was found on the Kent Downs.
Thanks again

[No.9 Spider]

All but one family of spiders are venemous though in Britain there a a limited amount capable of penetrating human skin, and very few are aggressive enough to openly want to bite. Those that are capable only do when placed in what they perceive as a threatened position such as the one biting your friend which was trapped in his jumper and so retaliated defensively. Meta menardi is certainly a robust enough species to be capable of delivering a bite, though it is not one I've come across before.
Often, spider bites may not actually inject any venom or very little and so the effects are obviously subjective. There can be effects from indirect factors such as infection from germs picked up from the spider itself owing to where it may inhabit or from its last meal and of course from where its last meal inhabited etc.
Perhaps in your mates case there is a drainage culvert in the locality which may suffice? If not it may have travelled upon something/someone from elsewhere.


No.9 Spider

[Venger]

I agree and well written No.9