Can anyone help me ID this chap?

[maybebaby]

I just caught this chap running across my living room floor. He's about 2cm long and seems quite jumpy.

Thank you!

[Jason Green]

...maybe, baby!! Welcome to WAB

It looks like one of the three nocturnal UK woodlouse spiders, a Dysdera sp. It could be Dysdera crocata, the most common. Someone more sure will post soon! Apparently you can feel their harmless biting parts in self-defence, used to cut through the exo-skeletons of woodlice on very rare occasions if handled roughly.

Are you familiar with latin names?

[maybebaby]

No sorry I'm an absolute novice! I wasn't sure what he was and google wasn't much help apart from finding this forum, you all seem very knowledgeable! If it is what you think is it likely to have any friends living in the house or just come to visit? And does it bite? Sorry if I'm asking silly questions

[Jason Green]

Thanks!

Sorry, I edited as you posted. See:

Originally Posted by Jason Green

[i]Apparently you can feel their harmless biting parts in self-defence, used to cut through the exo-skeletons of woodlice on[i] very rare occasions if handled roughly.

Very few UK spider possess mouthparts strong enough for us to feel, even then they're light. On extremely rare occasions false-widow spiders can bite and bring on allergic reactions, but as I say, it's rare.

[maybebaby]

Thank you, that's a relief! I have two little boys, the eldest is 2 and always picking things up and the youngest is 5 months and always putting things in his mouth so I've started getting paranoid about what is around.

I'll put this little chap outside

[Venger]

Look's more like a Clubiona spp

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

...maybe, baby!! Welcome to WAB

It looks like one of the three nocturnal UK woodlouse spiders, a Dysdera sp. It could be Dysdera crocata, the most common. Someone more sure will post soon! Apparently you can feel their harmless biting parts in self-defence, used to cut through the exo-skeletons of woodlice on very rare occasions if handled roughly.

Are you familiar with latin names?

A woodlouse spiders bite can be painful and people can have allergic reactions to their venom. The spider though in this picture is not a woodlouse spider, as already mentioned it appears to be a Clubiona.

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Thanks!

Sorry, I edited as you posted. See:


Very few UK spider possess mouthparts strong enough for us to feel, even then they're light. On extremely rare occasions false-widow spiders can bite and bring on allergic reactions, but as I say, it's rare.

There are actually around a dozen spiders that can. Steatodism the medical condition that results from being bit by a false widow spider, it is not an allergic reaction!! Also it is anything but "light".... Symptoms of bites include intense pain radiating from the bite site, along with feverishness or general malaise. It has also been known to effect the heart. Though bites are officailly recognised as medically significant they are not life threatning.

Segestria flrornetina... this spider is very common in parts of the country and also very aggressive. This spider needs very little provication to bite and its bite is extreamly painfull. Other then someone having a allergic reaction to its bite then pain and swelling goes down over a few hours.

Clubiona corticalis... painfull with localized swelling, aslo known to cause blisters around bite site.

I wont go on as i have better things to be doing.....

[Venger]

Before everyone goes off in a panic - bites are very rare (10 or 20's), much less so then say wasp stings (1000+). They're all in self defence as they aren't interested in us as food, even your false widow bite won't always cause intense pain (26%). As for Woodlce spider (Dysdera spp) they are more likely to nip you with their powerful jaws, which will penetrate you skin quite easily.

Generally classed as Steatodism
The clinical presentation of Steatoda bites was characterized by moderate to severe regional pain (26%), with a mean duration of six hours, and systemic effects in 30%, notably nausea, headache, malaise, and lethargy.
THE GLOBAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, SYNDROMIC CLASSIFICATION, MANAGEMENT, AND PREVENTION OF SPIDER BITES by JAMES H. DIAZ

[maybebaby]

Thank you, I appreciate your replies.