I was delighted yesterday to get an email verifying my two most recent spider finds. Both were fairly commonplace spiders but it’s nice to have confirmation that I’m making positive progress in being able to identify my finds, and to feel that I am paying back in the form of new records the book grant I received from my local biodiversity records centre to buy my spider guide book.

So, meet Steatoda nobilis, otherwise known as the False widow spider (or, sometimes, the Noble false widow). According to the Spider and Harvestman Recording Scheme website, it’s not a British native, and is presumed to have been an accidental introduction – maybe it hitched a ride with someone returning from holiday in Europe or in a lorry full of imported goods. From the first report of its presence near Torquay back in 1879, it has become naturalised across much of southern Britain, and appears to be spreading further north. I found mine on the local park railings but Steatoda nobilis is most common around buildings, including houses and garages and sheds and even public toilets. And, yes, it has been known to bite humans but don’t believe the negative publicity you might have seen in the media – like most creatures, this spider is more likely to avoid contact with humans if at all possible.