Unidentified spider, PLEASE HELP!!!

[gemma040491]

My mum has found two spiders in the past week, and i think shes quite worried by them, shes described them to me, but i have no idea what they are.
they have a creamy white abdomen, with bright orange legs. she also said that they were about the size of a two pence piece.

please help, i will be most grateful

[Jason Green]

Hi Gemma,

First off, chances are they are quite harmless! Secondly, I take it these have been found inside in the UK?

[No.9 Spider]

Hi Gemma I'd have a look in the photo archives or google Dysdera crocata initially. Try to get a photograph if possible. Spiders will only bite if they feel threatened and few in the UK are capable of that anyway, plus you'd generally have had to pick them up which isn't always easy even if you wanted to!



No.9 Spider

[gemma040491]

Hi,
thanks for your help,
ive managed to identify it as a woodlouse spider,
which do bite, but only if handled, and its only like a bee sting
thanks a lot anyway

[Jason Green]

Hi Gems,

Your spider as you say sounds is a Woodlouse Spider. No. 9 Spider ID'd it as Dysdera crocata which is latin for the UKs more common woodlouse spider of which I believe tehe UK has two. They can be seperated by size (I think) and the presence of a spine on one of the back legs, though I'm not sure which leg exactly, or which spider it then is.

The human bite comes from its bigger biting mouthparts used for going through the exoskeleton of woodlice.

...

[squishy]

if it's that large, it'll probably be a female Dysdera crocota

as jason said, as long as you dont antagonise it while it's on your skin, they are completely harmless (and help keep woodlice out of your house )

[gemma040491]

ok, thanks for all your help