A mother whose baby was bitten by a noble false widow spider has warned the public about the dangers of the invasive species, following a study revealing its venom is 230 times stronger than that of native Irish spiders.
Sarah Jane Dennelly's 15-week-old son Charlie was bitten at their home in Shanagarry, County Cork, and required hospital treatment. The spider crawled out from behind his ear after he began 'purple screaming'. Ms Dennehy urged people to be aware of venomous spiders in Ireland and the UK, but not to kill every spider in the garden.
Scientists from NUI Galway's Ryan Institute found the false widow can adapt its attacking behaviour, targeting specific body parts of prey to maximise venom effectiveness. The spider killed and ate 95% of its opponents in the study, including other spiders, shrews and bats.
Dr Michel Dugon, senior author of the research, said the noble false widow is highly invasive and has a chemical arsenal much stronger than native spiders, giving it a competitive advantage. The species, originally from Madeira and the Canary Islands, is now common on Ireland's east coast and spreading westward.
