Biter

Posted by Richard Irwin (Belper, United Kingdom) on 1 July 2009 in Animal & Insect.

Having been bitten by a spider yesterday whilst sitting in my garden, I thought it apt to post a spider picture today.

This wasn't the critter who bit me I should add (I couldn't identify what it was, I thought was an ant stinging me till i looked, and it was a tiny wee thing that took a few nips at the back of my leg, but no ill effects)

This one (Steatoda paykulliana) can give a very nasty bite, but is only found in the far south of the UK.

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Comments (20)

Daryl Johnson from Farnham, United Kingdom

You're kidding!! Never knew we had anything like this in the UK. Where did you find this? Beautifully - and bravely - taken.

1 Jul 2009 5:35am

@Daryl Johnson: Thanks Daryl: You live in the best poisonous spider bit of the UK. Steatoda nobilis (a relative of the one I photographed above) being one of the critters to keep an eye out for.

amirreza from tehran, Iran

wow
great macro shot

1 Jul 2009 6:53am

Elena Kotrotsou from Drossia, Greece

Fabulous capture. Who knows after the bite you might become Spiderman!! :)))))

1 Jul 2009 11:39am

Cheryl from Texas, United States

yikes! glad that one didn't bite you! nice closeup! very colorful. I thought it was a "black widow" spider

1 Jul 2009 12:06pm

@Cheryl: Thanks Cheryl. We don't have true black widows here yet, but the european black widow (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) will no doubt establish itself as the climate warms up a bit

Craig from Vacaville, California, United States

It looks very similar to a black widow (found here in the US). Great shot!

1 Jul 2009 12:38pm

@Craig: A very similar species, this one is reputed to hunt Black widows, but its bite is far less potent to humans.....so they say, but I wouldn't volunteer to experiment.

Daniel from Kenmare, United States

yikes!

1 Jul 2009 1:31pm

zOOm from Paris, France

Great photography Richard. I really love the hints and hues here ! Very unusual but original angle.

1 Jul 2009 1:40pm

Jen from Alpharetta, United States

Colorful body it has...nice shot

1 Jul 2009 3:19pm

Calusarus from St Sorlin en Valloire, France

This one reminds me Spiderman colors : a tribute to Peter Parker

1 Jul 2009 3:33pm

Steve Rice from Olympia, United States

A beautiful little nasty.

1 Jul 2009 4:19pm

Anthony Morgan Lambert from Bielefeld(old Pembroke dock boy,Wales), Germany

A fantastic macro shot that gives me the creeps !!

1 Jul 2009 4:58pm

peter from new york, Afghanistan

um, i would NOT want to be bit by that!

1 Jul 2009 5:23pm

Faëlle from Lyon, France

Good macro, really!

1 Jul 2009 8:54pm

Onlymehdi from Wayne, United States

WOW

1 Jul 2009 10:17pm

grant from kansas city, United States

what an evil looking critter!

1 Jul 2009 11:51pm

Earnest from Oklahoma, United States

Very similar in shape to our black widow... which you would not want to bite you. Sorry about the bite but what would you do if someone sat down on you?

2 Jul 2009 3:42am

@Earnest: Steatoda are part of the same Theridiidae family of spiders as Black Widows, and the two species are often mistaken for eachother. To be honest, I didn't blame the little critter either, as I must have spoiled several hours of its web building project when I sat down..