Identification: False Widow?

[jonathanmay]

Hi, live in central Bristol and found this spider in the basement:

https://www.dropbox.com/gallery/7049...pider?h=68505c

I've never tried to ID one before, but I hadn't seen one of these before so wanted to check. It's built a massive number of white cocoons under an old car roof rack, and I need to decide what to do with spider + "nest" as we're clearing out the basement.

Any advice on the spider and what we ought to do would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Jonathan

[MattPrince]

Yes, it is a false widow - but steatoda grossa rather than the more infamous steatoda nobilis.

Most people have the former spider in their houses or garages without realising it, and without any issue.

If you are worried about having a clutch of steatoda in your house, I guess you could try and move her cocoons to somewhere outside that is relatively sheltered, same for the 8 legged mother.

They are, however, very good biological controls of flies ...

Matt