Spider....identity please!

[pip]

My boyfriend, Mark, found this in his garden yesterday. To give you an idea of perspective it's in a small wine glass.



Anyone know what it is? It's got dimples on it's back and is all one colour (to the naked eye at least).

[pip]

Just to add, this is in Worthing, Sussex coast.

[Venger]

Looks like a Steatoda spp - can I ask where you are in the UK?
Without epigyne shots (the sex organs - the only way to confirm the species) I'd say it looks like a Steatoda nobilis - however the photo isn't clear enough for me to say 100% for sure.
When you ask for ID's try and give the size (excluding legs please), habitat and location, it all helps.
Just pop it back in your garden - this species has been known to bite (they have poor eye site) and in rarer case it causes moderate to severe regional pain with occasional systemic effects in 30%, notably nausea, headache, malaise, and lethargy.
Just so you know
Give it the same respect as you would a bee or a wasp.

The dimples are sigilla (sigillum) - marks for internal muscle attachments.

Welcome to WAB by the way.

[pip]

Hello

Many thanks for your reply. We're in Worthing on the Sussex coast. Unfortunately we only had a camera phone to hand at the time. the spider is back in the garden

So, it's one of the 'False Widow' group of spiders? Interesting!

[naturegirl]

Try that again Venger.... 'has been known to bite', causing malaise......etc.

I live in fear of a bite from this species or wasps/bees.......

I eveicted 2 S.grossa from my bedroom tonight, big enough to cause me harm and which I had missed when I evicted their sibblings earlier this year.

Naturegirl

[dmclean2]

I beleive all ceatures should be given respect and handled not at all if you can help it, if you have to pick them up then use something other than your hand,
On a thread the other day a photo of a lady handling a moth caterpillar, some moth caterpillars, ie; Brown Tail, can cause severe stinging sensation and a severe rash
Just be careful, thats all,
Duncan