Venomous Spider Invasion: False Widow Population Boom In Britain Threatens Suburban Homes

Weather conditions in Britain have created the perfect environment for a population boom in the venomous false widow spiders. Britain has experienced a relatively warm year with no floods or droughts, creating an environment in which the false widow spider, which has been named the most venomous spider in Britain, has plenty to feed on, according to Metro.

The country has experienced a warm year with few cold snaps and not very many long periods of either wet or dry weather, according to Clive Boase from Pest Management Consultancy, Metro reported. The weather has led to more flies, so many spiders, including false widows, have had plenty to feed on, therefore developing throughout the summer. As the weather gets chillier, the spiders are expected to migrate indoors.

“Sightings of spiders often peak from September as males of many species reach adulthood and venture into homes in search of a mate, but we could be seeing a lot more of them than normal over the next month or two,' said Boase, the Daily Mail reported.

There are roughly half-a-dozen different species of false widow spiders, and the spiders' presence in Britain has increased significantly in the past 25 years. Black false widow spiders are less harmful to humans than actual black widows, but their bite can still be extremely painful. They prefer suburban areas and are most commonly found near domestic and commercial premises, and are able to live in outdoors and indoors. The species was introduced to Britain from the Canary Islands over 100 years ago, according to the Natural History Museum, and sightings have become common in many regions of the country. False widow spiders have even been spotted as far north as Scotland.

The best way to avoid the spiders is to keep clutter to a minimum and to seal up cracks and holes in doors and windows, according to Rob Simpson, manager of pest controllers register Basis Prompt, the Daily Mail reported.