Eight-legged freak.

[Bushwhacker]

What the hell is this spider? Never seen one like this before.
I came home last night and it was in the corner of my living room.
It was an inch long, wasn't that aggressive as I gave it a few pokes before picking it up and chucking it out of the window.

[blacktimberwolf]

Looks like some kind of wolf spider.

[Mikey P]

In Dorset?!? Jeeez! I'd have filled my pants!

[Bushwhacker]

Not sure on Wolf as it had spinarettes, so I presume it's a web builder and not a full-on hunter.

[blacktimberwolf]

OK then lets try a funnel web.............I'm going by the short fat legs...

[Urban X]

Female wolf spider, (spinarettes used to make egg sac).


Si

[Bushwhacker]

Female wolf spider, (spinarettes used to make egg sac).


Si

It was a bit big for that, surely?

[Andy BB]

If it was this you're really lucky - Brazilian Wandering Spider

[AndyJDickson]

Yea I have had two of these in my house in the last couple of weeks (or maybe the same one twice). When I had a closer look I went for a female wolfy..... am prepared to be told different

[Urban X]

It was a bit big for that, surely?

Dunno it's hard to tell from the pic but I was going on what looks like 2 lines on the carapace, which is common to Wolf spiders. Pregnant maybe? Lots of lil Wolfies running around soon.


Si

[Urban X]

Think I might have it.... Stone Spider.

Did it look like this?

http://greatbritishspiders.tripod.com/id70.html

If so it's a biggun


Si

[wattsy]

all spiders have spinarettes they all spin silk. females are also generally bigger than the males, often as much as a third. i reckon thats a wolf spider

edit: had a proper look and the dark line down the abdomen looks like a stone spider. my bad

[wattsy]

all spiders have spinarettes they all spin silk. females are also generally bigger than the males, often as much as a third. i reckon thats a stone spider was it an ich including legs or just the body?

[Bushwhacker]

all spiders have spinarettes they all spin silk. females are also generally bigger than the males, often as much as a third. i reckon thats a wolf spider

How big do Wolf spiders get? I don't know much about them.

[ZEbbEDY]

[Bushwhacker]

Stone spider looks pretty good. I've got the jury out elsewhere so I'll see what that brings up too.

[Urban X]

It's quite a pale uniform colour which is why I'm veering away from the Wolf and towards the Stone spider, body can be 10-18mm so add the legs...? And Wolf spiders do tend to have the 2 lines on the carapace. I dunno lol I'm guessing the pic has lightened it a wee bit, I'll go with the Stone spider.

I'm certainly no arachnologist I just like em, favourite is the Cave spider but prolly cause I've seen so many of em and they have mahussive fangs, haven't been bitten by one yet but no doubt will be during the course of my subterranean adventures.


Si

[blacktimberwolf]

Good suggestion there from Urban X.....there is a family resemblance with a stone spider.....

Bushwacker's cuddly visitor.



& a few more pics of a stone spider for comparison..




I think we have it...

[Smith28]

Do we actually have any dangerously poisonous spiders in the UK? I've always thought not but I suppose it would be good to know for sure..

[Urban X]

Nope not native ones at least, a few can bite through human skin, like the Cave spider but unless allergic somehow it wouldn't do any damage,

Si

[Smith28]

Ah I see. Although I can't say I'm any more happy to go about picking the little things up.. Dislike of spiders is one of the most irrational things, but it still gets me sometimes.

[Urban X]

Loads of peeps are scared or don't like spiders, I think it's more the speed they move at and the fact they often make people jump that cause it rather than the 8 legs. My uncle had a butterfly farm out in Oz and used to keep spiders, bugs and reptiles aswell so I kinda grew up with large hairy crawly things on me, Bird Eaters or Tarantulas or some other weird n wonderful critter, our lil beasties are tiny compared.

On land in the UK, afaik, the only poisonous critter is the Adder, a few in the sea but reckon you'll be safe out and about normally.


Si

[JonathanD]

Adders aren't poisonous. John Fenna can testify to that fact.

[Urban X]

Oh right, I thought they could be dangerous to small screechy things and aged peeps with heart probs?

Ok venomous then.


Si

[blacktimberwolf]

Bees, wasps & hornets are venomous too, I imagine more people are attacked by them every year than by spiders or adders..
Arn't there some black widows in the UK ?

[Bushwhacker]

Lesser Weever fish probably account for a fair few casualties too.

[Urban X]

Lesser Weever fish probably account for a fair few casualties too.

Oh yeah, and that's a painful one too.

We've got the Noble False Widow, which is often mistaken for the real McCoy, wouldn't surprise me if we didn't have some actual Widows around some of the docks, I know there was a colony of scorpions on the Isle of Sheppey as I've seen some of them waaaaay back when I was a kid but they weren't a deadly variety, just like a wasp sting. (I know wasp & bee stings can be dangerous if the patient goes into anaphylactic shock).


Si

[HillBill]

Most folk who are scared of spiders, are scared of them because one of their parents will have been. They will have picked the irrational fear up as children.

Loads of peeps are scared or don't like spiders, I think it's more the speed they move at and the fact they often make people jump that cause it rather than the 8 legs. My uncle had a butterfly farm out in Oz and used to keep spiders, bugs and reptiles aswell so I kinda grew up with large hairy crawly things on me, Bird Eaters or Tarantulas or some other weird n wonderful critter, our lil beasties are tiny compared.

On land in the UK, afaik, the only poisonous critter is the Adder, a few in the sea but reckon you'll be safe out and about normally.


Si

[blacktimberwolf]

My father, the big girl's blouse, is scared of spiders & my mother is petrified of snakes........I don't share their fears.............I'm only afraid of the bogeyman.

[Smith28]

Probably the fact that I stayed up (against my parents will) when I was about 6 with my big brother to watch "Arachnophobia" has something to do with it too.. haha

The weird thing is, usually when I'm outside I'm fine. I do lots of landscape services so see loads and have them all over me sometimes trimming hedges and such and that's fine. It's state of mind.. when I'm at home all comfy and I see one.. It's ON.