False Widow Pest Control London, Surrey & Kent

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False widow information

False widow spiders have featured in many news stories across the UK in recent years, however most of these stories tend to be false, blown out of proportion and can be borderline scare mongering. It is true that false widows come from the same family as the notorious black widow spider, however, the false widow is significantly less poisonous. A bite to an adult from a false widow, although not a pleasant experience, is often no worse than a wasp sting, this can be more potent in children due to their smaller size, always monitor symptoms and if they become worse, seek medical help immediately.

Many people in the UK have arachnophobia (the fear of spiders) which is not surprising as they are not the cutest creatures, however there are over 650 known species of spider present in the UK, of these, only 12 are known to bite, so more often than not, if you come across a spider then chances are its harmless.

False widow spiders have a black, globular body, males tend to be smaller than females at about 16 – 22mm long and females measuring between 20 – 32mm long. The false widow has a very distinct red or brown ‘skull shape’ on its back, this seems to further compound the negative image portrayed on the humble false widow. False widows will often be found around windows, inside sheds and garages and in loft spaces.

False widows will commonly live for between 1 – 2 years, with the females often outliving the males. A female will lay clusters of white, spherical eggs inside an egg sack attached to her web. These eggs commonly hatch within 2 – 4 months.