False Widow - What do we know?

[Phoebe]

I recently posted a photo of a False Widow that I spotted in my Ferret shed. I didn't know what it was at the time - I thought it was some sort of bug or beetle as I could only see 6 legs although I did think it looked like a spider.

What is know about this Spider? I am concerned that it could bite... my ferrets do not like creepy crawlies and I want to know that they are safe. I assume that if this Spider does bite it would not be poisonous but one of my Ferts has had a lump on her neck which I was told at a Ferret Show was some sort of bite. Can anyone enlighten me on the False Widow?

Phoebe

[Jason Green]

Hi Phoebes

As far as I remember it was later ID'd as a Walnut Orb-weaver by Dogghound and backed by me and Aeshna5. So, RE bites: Please find the following Bite Reports, but they really do only bite in self defense. The ferret's fur would be nice and protective; indeed, I believe they only hurt us as it's bare skin.

Excerpts from NHM's website:

Walnut Orb-weaver:

- 'Felt like a puncture from a bramble thorn. Site of the bite slightly raised and white (no reddening). Pain gone after 6 hours.'

- 'Pain like an electric shock from finger to elbow with the arm going numb; recovered after a few hours.'

- 'Itchiness and hot feeling on arm, large red patch (2" x 4") became worse within hour, plus white lumps; horrible burning feeling - felt bruised for some days.'

False Widow: Steatoda nobilis

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).

- "Sudden onset of intense pain, radiating across thigh. Lasted 20 minutes with some swelling and a developing weal."

- "Bitten on left hand; within 3/4 hour developed swelling of palm including thumb and fingers with tingling in all fingers. Swelling on left side of face with tingling over face. Two small puncture wounds in the region of the swelling, surrounded by local erythema with small bluish tinge a few hours later."

- "Bite on arm (area red) immediate pain. Spread to chest - still stiff 48 hours later."

"Burning sensation on the right side of ribs. Increased in intensity, like being scalded, stabbing pains spread first to armpit then down right arm. Also flu-like symptoms, aches, sweats, fatigue, perspiring, cold & shaky, sick & giddy (all in first 10 minutes). Face and right arm went purplish and slightly puffy. Bite mark raised with red area c. 5 or 6cm. After one hour, responded to Piriton but felt unwell for 3 days."

- "Bitten on the shoulder. Initially the top of my arm ached, then felt itchy. Ten minutes later my armpit became numb. The skin was hot and sticky and looked wrinkled. The tenderness and itchiness lasted for some days" (later said to be infected).

As I say, it's EXTREMELY RARE and unlikely to have an effect on your pets, they are, of course, non-venomous!!!!!

Take care,

Jason

[No.9 Spider]

As I say, it's EXTREMELY RARE and unlikely to have an effect on your pets, they are, of course, non-venomous!!!!!

Take care,

Jason

Hi Jason,

Please clarify or am I mis-reading your statement?:

".....they are, of course, non-venomous!!!!! "

ALL but one family of spiders ARE VENOMOUS.

I assume on reflection you are referring to the ferrets


No.9 Spider

[Jason Green]

I'm referring to the Walnut Orb-weaver and False-widow. Yes, they're venomous (...) but the venom isn't likely to poison us in the way it does there prey items - invertebrates - is what I mean.

If one of the two said spiders bites an insect it'll paralise and/or kill it.

If one of the said two spiders bites us it'll hurt but won't kill us unless there are complications/allergies, etc. if possible.

[Phoebe]

Hi Jason and No. 9 Spider, this is the photo I posted of the said Spider. I do not know very much about them but thought it was Id'd as a False Widow. I googled it and it is mostly restricted to the more southern regions, which is why I was concerned about it being in Derbyshire! It was just a thought that it could have been a bite from this that caused the non-red swelling on my Ferrets neck the lump has been there for about a year now. The wooden beam the Spider is on measures about 2.5 - 3 inches across for scale. It is quite a large bodied Spider. I was astonished to see it and also pleased - but still concerned for my pets. I have seen other more common Spiders actually in the Ferrets sleeping quarters.

[Dogghound]

Hi Phoebe if you read all the posts the conclusion was walnut orb weaver, which is harmless.

Black bug/beetle? for ID

[Phoebe]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Hi Phoebe if you read all the posts the conclusion was walnut orb weaver, which is harmless.

Black bug/beetle? for ID

Hi Dogghound, I have googled the walnut orb spider but cannot find one that looks the same. I also googled Steatoda and found Steatoda Grossa which looks exactly the same to me the difference being the Walnut Orb has zigzag pale colours to the edges of its body - my spider was all one colour no other markings other than the, I think it was six, dimples down its back. It looks so like the Steatoda Grossa to me. I will try to find it again and get better photos - the flash didn't go off last time.

Thanks for help but I am not yet convinced.

[Venger]

Hi Phoebe,
It's a Nuctenea umbratica, I altered the levels (brightness, gamma etc) in Photoshop.
Abdomen shape, leg length and head shape all point to Araneidae over Theridiidae, though a sharper picture would help loads.

See below for more images to help you:


http://www.eurospiders.com/Nuctenea_umbratica.htm
http://www.nicksspiders.com/nicksspi...aumbratica.htm

[Jason Green]

...yes, maybe capture it in a glass and take the pic in daylight/with flash

[Venger]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

...yes, maybe capture it in a glass and take the pic in daylight/with flash

Unfortunate for the spider who is nocturnal - extra stress!