Latest news with #noblefalsewidow
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Deadly invasive spider spreading across NZ sparks warning for Aussie cities
Not only are noble false widow spiders venomous, but some populations harbour antibiotic-resistant bacteria on their fangs. A deadly invasive spider species is spreading quickly across New Zealand, and experts think it may have already reached Australia. Not only are noble false widow spiders venomous, but some populations harbour antibiotic resistant bacteria on their fangs. Ecologist Professor Steven Truick, who's been tracking the city-dwelling spiders since they were first detected on the North Island in late 2024, said it's possible the species has also made its way to Australia. Speaking to Yahoo News, he said, you may already have it, but it's just not noticed. Of course, that's a really fundamental issue with species invasion. If alien monsters turned up and started eating people, we'd notice very quickly, but with something rather subtle like this, we don't. The spider's rapid spread across New Zealand suggests it may have been there long before it was officially identified last year, thriving in harsh urban environments where native spiders struggle to live. While Australia's Department of Agriculture didn't confirm whether the species poses a threat, it did state that there are a number of measures in place to manage biosecurity.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Ominous sign for Australia's cities after deadly discovery in New Zealand
The rapid spread of a deadly invasive spider in New Zealand has sparked a warning to Australia. Not only are noble false widow spiders venomous, some populations harbour antibiotic-resistant bacteria on their fangs. Massey University evolutionary ecologist Professor Steven Trewick has been leading efforts to track the city-dwelling spiders since they were first detected on the North Island late in 2024. He believes it's possible the species has also made its way to Australia in small numbers, but with invasives, there's frequently a lag between arrival, expansion of territory, and it eventually being documented. 'You may already have it, but it's just not recognised. Of course, that's a really fundamental issue with species invasion,' Trewick warned in an interview with Yahoo News Australia. 'If alien monsters turned up and started eating people, we'd notice very quickly, but with something rather subtle like this, we don't.' Related: 🕷️ Noble false widows taking a big bite out of British and Irish wildlife The first sighting of the spider in New Zealand occurred in Porirua, just north of the capital Wellington. But they've since been detected at multiple sites on the sparsely populated South Island, including Christchurch and Nelson. Because they've spread so widely, Trewick suspects they breached the country's borders a long time ago. When his students first identified them, it caused a sensation on iNaturalist, a global social networking site where hobbyists and professionals share locations and pictures of plants and animals. 'The experts were saying we don't have that species, so it can't be that species,' Trewick said. 'Once a few people became convinced, they started looking back over photographs from the past on iNaturalist and realised there's more of a backstory to them.' White-tailed spiders and redback spiders have already invaded New Zealand. With the arrival of the noble false widow spider, locals are worried their country is becoming just as dangerous as Australia. But Trewick isn't particularly concerned about the potential harm directly caused by the spider, his interest is that British populations are known to carry bacterial strains associated with antibiotic resistance. "We're not going to be savaged by spiders to any great extent, it's really the microbial resistance that's going to get us," he said Although he admits this is 'potentially worrying' from a scientific perspective, he also finds it 'morbidly fascinating'. 'If it's another vector for antibiotic-resistant bacteria to spread around the planet, then that's a concern that's much bigger than the spider itself,' he said. He's now working to determine whether New Zealand noble false widow spiders also carry dangerous microbes on their fangs The species has shown an ability to adapt to urban areas, thriving in harsh environments where non-venomous native spiders struggle. How it became exposed to antibiotic-resistant bacteria remains a mystery. But it could have been from eating small prey that have encountered human sewerage or drainage systems. And there's also the possibility it entered a hospital where resistant bacteria are known to be concentrated. Along with climate change, Trewick believes the other big problem the world needs to focus on is the 'unseen invasion and expansion' of microbes. He wasn't surprised by the rapid spread of Covid-19 or the ongoing problems caused by avian influenza, that's resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of birds and mammals. 'We're just not paying attention to the problem until it rears up and everyone is shocked at the audacity of a virus or bacteria getting in our face,' he said. ⛏️ Reason tradies faced 'absolute challenge' fixing deceptively simple old hut 📸 Rare colour footage of extinct Australian animal seen again after 90 years 🍗 Woman jailed after disturbing find inside 62,000kg of Thai food sent to Australia Australia's department of agriculture (DAFF) did not directly address questions from Yahoo News about whether the spider is a threat to this country. In a statement it said there are a number of "measures in place" to manage biosecurity. Invasive invertebrate species are a growing problem and regularly breach Australia's borders, often leaving federal and state governments unable to contain them. The varroa mite has had a severe impact on honey production, fire ants are marching down Australia's east coast, while over in Perth the shot-hole borer has killed thousands of trees and crippled the local plant trade. In 2023, a bed purchased from Harvey Norman by a Tasmanian woman was discovered riddled with China fir borers. In that case, the woman identified them as being suspicious, and they were contained. DAFF asks anyone with information about unusual items that could breach biosecurity to contact it on 1800 789 636. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
RNZ News
01-07-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
New venomous spider makes New Zealand home
The oble false widow spider. Photo: Supplied / Massey University A new venomous spider has officially made New Zealand home. The noble false widow spider is one of the world's most invasive arachnids. It was first seen last year in Porirua, and has since been spotted in Christchurch, Nelson, Waikato and Northland. While bites are rare, infections from their bites don't always respond well to treatment. Researchers say it appears to be thriving in urban environments, particularly around gardens and outdoor furniture. It's most often found under pot plants, tarpaulin and in fence crevices. Male spiders can be seen at night on exterior walls or the ground. The noble false widow spider. Photo: Supplied / Massey University Massey University evolutionary ecologist Steven Trewick says its association with antibiotic-resistant bacteria is particularly concerning. "Although considered less dangerous than black widows, the venom of Steatoda nobilis contains similar toxins." It's not an aggressive spider, but it will bite in defence. Symptoms of a bite include swelling, redness and pain. Though some spider bites have been linked to tissue necrosis, nausea, hypotension, impaired mobility and secondary bacterial infections that may be resistant to standard antibiotics. Researchers are asking people to upload suspected sightings of this spider to iNaturalist NZ to help them discover the extent of the invasion.
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Britain's most dangerous spider strikes in Hertfordshire: Man is left in 'unbearable' pain and struggling to walk after bite from noble false widow
A bite from 'Britain's most dangerous spider' has left a man in 'unbearable' pain and struggling to walk. Keith Robinson, 65, says he developed a large, angry inflammation on his leg shortly after clearing out cobwebs at home. At first he tried to treat it himself using painkillers and savlon, but before long it became too much to bear and he went to the hospital. Now he's been diagnosed with cellulitis around the wound, and can only walk for short distances before 'intense pain' sets in. Mr Robinson, from Watford, Hertfordshire, believes a noble false widow was responsible. He said: 'It must be more than coincidence that I had removed a large number of cobwebs from the house by hoover. 'So I'm thinking that I've disturbed a spider, and at some point, I got bitten.' The bite, unnoticeable at first, only got worse as the days passed. Keith Robinson, 65, says he developed a large, angry inflammation on his leg shortly after clearing out cobwebs at home He said: 'The stinging pain almost became unbearable at times until I was given stronger pain killers and antibiotics. 'The worst it got was the weekend of May 10. That's when I decided it was best to go to the hospital. 'Doctors diagnosed cellulitis due to infection of the bite. 'I was given a blood test and put on a saline drip, before I was released with painkillers and antibiotics.' The noble false widow is 'widely regarded as the most dangerous spider breeding in Britain,' according to a 2020 paper by Clive Hambler, an Oxford University zoologist. Known as Steatoda nobilis, they're not native to Britain and are thought to have arrived from the Canary Islands in banana boxes in the late 1800s before slowly spreading northwards. Keith hadn't realised just how severe a spider bite could be in Britain. He said: 'I can work but I am not able to walk very far without intense pain in that leg for quite a while. The noble false widow is 'widely regarded as the most dangerous spider breeding in Britain,' according to a 2020 paper by Clive Hambler, an Oxford University zoologist 'Life at home is very sedentary at the moment. 'It's not easy to cope with being so immobile now and the pain can be relentless without the painkillers. 'I hope I never get bitten again – this has been a painful experience just from a spider bite here in the UK.' Now he's speaking out to warn others to be cautious around the noble false widow. He said: 'Avoid them – check all spiders in your house or outbuildings where they like to live and remove them if found. 'If you catch a bite or suspect one then go to hospital and get it checked out the same day.' ARACHNOPHOBIA IS IN OUR DNA Recent research has claimed that a fear of spiders is a survival trait written into our DNA. Dating back hundreds of thousands of years, the instinct to avoid arachnids developed as an evolutionary response to a dangerous threat, the academics suggest. It could mean that arachnophobia, one of the most crippling of phobias, represents a finely tuned survival instinct. And it could date back to early human evolution in Africa, where spiders with very strong venom have existed millions of years ago. Study leader Joshua New, of Columbia University in New York, said: 'A number of spider species with potent, vertebrate specific venoms populated Africa long before hominoids and have co-existed there for tens of millions of years.
The Sun
18-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Horror bite from Britain's ‘most dangerous spider' leaves man struggling to walk & in ‘unbearable' pain
A BITE from "Britain's most dangerous spider" has left a man in "unbearable" pain and struggling to walk. Keith Robinson, 65, says he developed a large, angry inflammation on his leg shortly after clearing out cobwebs at home. 6 6 6 At first he tried to treat it himself using painkillers and Savlon, but before long it became too much to bear and he went to the hospital. Now he's been diagnosed with cellulitis around the wound, and can only walk for short distances before "intense pain" sets in. Keith, from Watford, Hertfordshire, believes a noble false widow was responsible. He said: "It must be more than coincidence that I had removed a large number of cobwebs from the house by hoover. "So I'm thinking that I've disturbed a spider, and at some point, I got bitten." The bite, unnoticeable at first, only got worse as the days passed. He said: "The stinging pain almost became unbearable at times until I was given stronger pain killers and antibiotics. "The worst it got was the weekend of May 10. That's when I decided it was best to go to the hospital. "Doctors diagnosed cellulitis due to infection of the bite. "I was given a blood test and put on a saline drip, before I was released with painkillers and antibiotics." The noble false widow is "widely regarded as the most dangerous spider breeding in Britain," according to a 2020 paper by Clive Hambler, an Oxford University zoologist. Known as Steatoda nobilis, the spiders are not native to Britain and are thought to have arrived from the Canary Islands in banana boxes in the late 1800s before slowly spreading northwards. Keith hadn't realised just how severe a spider bite could be in Britain. He said: "I can work but I am not able to walk very far without intense pain in that leg for quite a while. "Life at home is very sedentary at the moment. "It's not easy to cope with being so immobile now and the pain can be relentless without the painkillers. "I hope I never get bitten again - this has been a painful experience just from a spider bite here in the UK." Now he's speaking out to warn others to be cautious around the noble false widow. He said: "Avoid them - check all spiders in your house or outbuildings where they like to live and remove them if found. "If you catch a bite or suspect one then go to hospital and get it checked out the same day." 6 6 6
