Warnings issued as Ireland’s ‘most dangerous spider’ invades homes this month

They start to appear in homes in September

Giant false widow spiders are set to start invading Irish homes this month as mating season begins, experts have warned.

The warm and wet conditions this summer have provided the perfect breeding ground for these eight-legged creatures, which are relatives of the deadly black widow spider.

They can identified by their brownish-reddish bodies with white markings, and they typically start to appear in early September.

Their presence in homes is usually noticeable until around mid-October, when they tend to be spotted indoors less frequently.

In Ireland, there are over 600 different species of spider and while all of them can bite, only one can cause harm to humans.

Luckily their bite can't kill a human, but the venom can cause painful burns and swelling, which may lead to fever.

The spiders are not aggressive, but may bite if there is accidental contact. Their bites have been compared to wasp stings, but issues arising from spider bits are more likely to be the result of a secondary infection, than the bite itself.

A spokesperson from Ultimate Pest Control in Dublin previously told the Sun: "We get more calls year on year, especially for the false widow spiders, it’s becoming a bigger and bigger issue. It has become more prevalent, people are coming to us more and more often.

"It's the one spider people are very wary of, you can't miss it, it's distinctive.

"I suppose the main thing we should be aware of with the false widow is that they do bite.

"The venom, while it’s not as serious as other spiders, it can, in some people have ill effects.

"So you will get localised pain, you will get some swelling, the area can become red or black.

"People can get nausea and dizziness, in rare cases, it doesn’t happen very often, people can get flu like symptoms coming on or joint pain. If that sort of thing happens, obviously they should go see their GP and get help straight away."

They're usually found at least 1.5m off the ground, and False Widow webs are typically found around window and door frames, as well as in eaves, porches and conservatories.

They're a loose tangle of threads with a tube of silk in one corner leading into a crevice where the spider will hide during the day.

One handy way to get rid of unwanted guests in the home is this 65cm spider catcher, which keeps you at a safe distance from them as you remove them.

The spider catcher easily removes spiders and insects without having to touch or harm them, and ensures that hard to reach areas are easily accessible.

The bristles are gentle enough to hygienically catch butterflies, moths and daddy long legs, as well as spiders, and it's priced at €13.82 from Amazon here.

One shopper said: "Used it to pick up a spider and works well. Doesn’t hurt them and you can release away from your home."