Poisonous Spider Bites on Rise in SE UK

A year or so back, I noticed a spider set up in one corner on my ceiling. A while later there was a second not so very far away from the first. Next I looked the spiders were together, and I came to realise over the course of a day or so that one was lunch for t'other. Three or four spiders went this same way. None there now. I think word got out and all the other spiders started avoiding it, so the remaining spider went off in search for food elsewhere. I never saw anything else get caught there.
 
Whilst working away on contract I lodged with a family for a couple of years. Their bath had a spider shaped chip in the enamel. I must have entered their bathroom a thousand times and on every single occasion, without exception, something in my brain said "Oh! A Spider."

There's definitely something in the human psyche that says 'be aware of things that are spider shaped - especially if they are spiders :eek:'.
 
It's probably been one of my guests for quite a while and it lives outside anyway. but I've lately found a really big orb spider (I think) just outside my front door. The main part of its body is about 0.5cm across, leg spread is maybe 2cm. :)

I've left it alone. AFAIK they aren't venomous enough to be a problem to humans and as others have noted they eat insects. Yum! :)
 
I do think they were taking it a bit far with this:

BBC News - Spider outbreak school in Forest of Dean defends closure

Entomologist Steven Falk said: "[The noble false widow] has got a toxic bite but the bite is on a par with a honey-bee sting.

"They're nowhere near as dangerous as the media is making out, so we're a little bit surprised [that the school was closed]."
Click to expand...

Be warned - big picture of a spider at top of the page!
 
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