False widow spiders could invade UK homes this month as temperatures drop
2 November 2021, 15:12 | Updated: 2 November 2021, 15:14
Be on the look out for more spiders entering your home as the weather gets colder.
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Winter is well and truly here, with forecasters predicting SNOW might even be on the way this month.
But while we’re looking forward to getting all cosy in our big jumpers, the cold weather could force more spiders into our homes.
As the temperatures dip, The Sun reports false widow’s will be trying to find somewhere warm to hide.
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While spider mating season is usually from September to October, the sudden drop in the mercury may mean the creepy crawlies will choose to mate with each other inside.
If you wondered where you will find the most spiders lurking in your home, experts state they often end up in the bathroom.
George Holland of Victorian Plumbing told the Manchester Evening News: "Like all species, spiders need water to survive.
"That's why they're drawn to your bathroom, especially in these more arid times of year.
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"The bathroom can be the only place they can find some moisture."
What are false widow spiders?
False widows are sometimes confused for black widow spiders as both have a similar dark-coloured, globular body.
According to the Natural History Museum, the species was first recorded in the UK in the 1870s from its native Madeira and Canary Islands.
But it is only since the 1980s that the species started to grow in numbers, forming populations in the majority of the southern counties.
The noble false widow is the largest and most commonly reported, with a body length of between 8.5 and 11 millimetres.
While there are over 650 species of spider known to live in the UK, only around 12 of these are recorded to have bitten humans.
False widows are not deadly spiders and while they do have a venomous bite, the venom is not usually harmful.
Most of the time, there will be some slight soreness and redness for between one and 12 hours, and rarely for more than 24 hours.
