Venomous Nosferatu Spider is spreading - do not catch with bare hands
Created: 08/18/2022, 16:30
By: Sandra Barbara Furtner
The Nosferatu spider is appearing more and more frequently, especially in south-west Germany.
Where does the animal come from and how to react correctly.
An extraordinary species of spider is increasingly appearing in our apartments, gardens, sheds or on warm house walls: the Nosferatu spider.
It belongs to the wrinkle hunting spider family.
Originally at home in the Mediterranean region, it feels very comfortable in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate or wherever it is very warm at the moment.
She can't stand cold areas.
Venomous Nosferatu Spider is spreading - do not catch with bare hands
The "Zoropsis spinimana", also known as the Nosferatu spider, is spreading more and more in Germany.
© agefotostock/Imago
Due to increased travel and freight transport, she was probably brought in as a stowaway throughout Germany.
Her spooky name arguably stems from a certain "resemblance" to the popular vampire from the 1922 horror flick.
This can be recognized by the distinctive, black back pattern.
Here you can find out how to recognize the 5 most dangerous spiders in the world.
Poisonous Nosferatu spider spreads - bite comparable to wasp sting
Even if they don't grow quite as big as our native house spiders, the Nosferatu spiders appear very massive and imposing with their extremely long body and legs.
On average, they achieve a diameter of about six to eight centimeters.
So it's no wonder that some people are disgusted by the sight and want to get them out of the house as soon as possible.
These species were also introduced and you don't want to have them in your house.
But what is the best way to do this?
Experts advise not to touch the spider with your bare hands.
Even if their bite is not fatal, but much more comparable to a wasp sting, their poison can still cause redness and swelling.
However, according to the Nabu nature conservation association, the animal only bites when it feels threatened.
"In terms of pain, the bite is said to lie between a mosquito bite and a wasp bite, after two days the swelling has subsided," emphasizes a Nabu expert.
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To safely capture and carry the spider out of the house, experts recommend simply using a drinking glass or cup along with a piece of paper to slip under it.
This usually works relatively quickly and easily.
