You thought the false widow spider was bad...but now the deadly black widow has arrived in Britain
The venomous arachnids have arrived by boat from the United States - and they're very dangerous indeed
Venomous black widow spiders are invading Britain - and they're far MORE dangerous than their false widow cousins.
The eight-legged critters, capable of killing humans, are arriving from the US by boat and have been spotted several times on these shores.
Ecologist Graeme Skinner told the Daily Star: "Black widows have come this year.
"They managed to survive on shipments from the States.
"On two occasions it was just a single one but on another we had six black widows come in together.
"We had one batch come in stuck underneath a camper van from Arizona."
The black widow spiders - which live across America - are infamous for their gruesome mating rituals.
After mating, the female often eats her unfortunate partner, explaining how the spiders came to be named black widows.
While the female's venom is extremely potent, and requires medical treatment, it doesn't usually kill healthy humans.
However, children and the elderly are at risk, and the most lethal spider bites in the world do come from the black widow.
If bitten by a black widow spider, you can expect pain, cramping, and tremors.
Victims may also experience nausea, fainting, and problems with their breathing.
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source
The venomous arachnids have arrived by boat from the United States - and they're very dangerous indeed
Venomous black widow spiders are invading Britain - and they're far MORE dangerous than their false widow cousins.
The eight-legged critters, capable of killing humans, are arriving from the US by boat and have been spotted several times on these shores.
Ecologist Graeme Skinner told the Daily Star: "Black widows have come this year.
"They managed to survive on shipments from the States.
"On two occasions it was just a single one but on another we had six black widows come in together.
"We had one batch come in stuck underneath a camper van from Arizona."
The black widow spiders - which live across America - are infamous for their gruesome mating rituals.
After mating, the female often eats her unfortunate partner, explaining how the spiders came to be named black widows.
While the female's venom is extremely potent, and requires medical treatment, it doesn't usually kill healthy humans.
However, children and the elderly are at risk, and the most lethal spider bites in the world do come from the black widow.
If bitten by a black widow spider, you can expect pain, cramping, and tremors.
Victims may also experience nausea, fainting, and problems with their breathing.
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source
