Spider bites from Noble False Widows can be so severe that it requires hospital treatment, a new study has revealed.
The threat posed by the noble false widow spider has been debated among spider and healthcare specialists for many years.
The new study, published in the international medical journal Clinical Toxicology, confirms that some bite victims experience symptoms very similar to the true black widow spiders and some severe cases require hospital admission.
Originating from Madeira and the Canary Islands, the noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis, now has the potential to become one of the world’s most invasive species of spider.
In parts of Ireland and Britain, it has become one of the most common species of spiders found in and around urban habitats.
With the increase in false widow spiders around homes, bites are becoming more prevalent, and scientists are now beginning to realise the full medical importance of these spiders.
Dr John Dunbar, postdoctoral researcher at the lab at NUI Galway and lead author of the study, said: “While most cases will have a mild outcome, we need to continue to closely monitor bites by the noble false widow to understand the potential range of symptoms and to treat severe cases when they occur.”
