Spiders in the UK: What species do we have and are they poisonous?

18 September 2019, 12:47

Are there any poisonous spiders in the UK? Picture: Getty

By Alice Dear

As spider season continues in the UK, we take a look at the spiders you’re probably seeing around your house.

Spider season is in full swing, with the arachnids more active than ever as they search for a mate.

People across the UK have reported a huge amount of sightings of the creepy crawling in their homes, as they look for hacks to rid their houses of the creepy crawlies.

There are 650 different species of spider in the UK, and all of them can bite.

But are any of these poisonous? And which spider species live in the UK?

How many species of spider do we have in the UK?

There are 650 different species of spider in the UK, however, these are the 10 spiders you’re most likely to spot in your house:

1) Giant house spider

2) Zebra Jumping Spider

3) Cupboard Spider

4) Daddy Long Legs

5) Money Spider

6) Lace Web Spider

7) Missing Sector Orb

8) False Widow Spider

9) Cardinal Spider

10) Tube Web Spiders

There are only three species of spider in the UK that can bite, these are the cellar spider, the woodlouse spider and the false widow spider. Picture: Getty

Are any UK spiders poisonous?

There are only three species of spider in the UK that can bite a human – these are the cellar spider, the woodlouse spider and the false widow spider.

No UK spiders are poisonous and there are no killer spiders living in the UK, however, their bites can be nasty and cause hours of pain for the victim.

The Natural History Museum explains that while there are reports of false widow bites with “more sinister symptoms” like “rotting flesh and excruciating pain”, these are "usually not backed up with formal spider identification".

They explain: “The extreme side effects experienced are most likely the result of a secondary infection, likely bacterial, if the wound is not kept clean.”