UK’s most venomous spider found in Welling (From This Is Local London)

UK’s most venomous spider found in Welling

9:43am Wednesday 27th June 2012 in News By Kelly Smale

THE UK’s most venomous spider has webbed its way into a Welling garage.

In December News Shopper reported that the Steatoda noblis, known as the false widow spider or biting spider, had been spotted in the borough.

Elaine Mitchell found one guarding its eggs in her garage, in Elsa Road, Welling, last week.

It has since been put in a jam jar with the egg sack.

Lewis Curran, a contributor to the Natural History Museum’s online Nature Plus Bug Forum, identified the arachnid as a Steatoda grossa, which is capable of giving a bite but is not considered as venomous as the Steatoda noblis.

Mr Curran said: "Both of these spiders are now pretty endemic to south-east England and there is nothing we can do about it.

"Common sense dictates that they should not be handled roughly or picked up between your fingers, but it is fair to say that they are not very aggressive.

"I do however guarantee that there will be plenty more in the general vicinity of the Mitchell household and removing one in a jar won't help much."