Clarke 42

On a building survey of a property some years ago, I identified the Noble False Widow spiders (Steatoda nobilis) shown in the photos. The property was located on the outskirts of Dublin City Centre.

This non-native spider is now apparently common in the Dublin area, and their bites are said to be like a bee sting.

The University of Galway has a good write up about them here: New Study Confirms Noble False Widow Spiders Bites Can Result in Hospitalisation.

They note:

"...almost all bites occurred in and around the home, and 88% of bites occurred when the victim was either asleep in bed or when the spider was trapped in clothing.

In parts of Ireland and Britain, the False Widow spider has become one of the most common species of spiders found in and around urban habitats."

If you want to know more, NUI Galway have a study on the spider, bringing the confirmed number of envenomations up to 24 No. by March 2021, and discussing various results. Link here: Bites by the noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis can induce Latrodectus-like symptoms and vector-borne bacterial infections with implications for public health: a case series. By John P. Dunbar, et. al.