How to Identify Dangerous Irish Spiders

Their are no lethal spiders indigenous to Ireland, and very few that have been known to bite humans. However, a few varieties have arrived in Ireland on shipments from abroad. The size and similarity of many different spiders make identifying them difficult, and with 34 000 species of spiders, becoming an expert isn't easy. There are a few steps you can take to familiarize yourself with spiders in Ireland that are dangerous to human beings.

Things You'll Need

• Camera

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Instructions

• 1

  Look for a dark red thorax and large jaws. This may be the woodlouse spider, one of the only spiders in Ireland that is capable of biting humans. It is about 10 mm in length with a creamy orange abdomen, and its legs are dark red and similar to its thorax. They are typically found under logs and in warm dark spots. Although it does possess venom, the venom is not fatal to human beings. Some people have had allergic reactions to the bite, so visit a doctor if you start to feel sick after being bitten.

• 2

  If you come across a completely black spider with red patches on its abdomen, you might have encountered a black widow spider that was brought into Ireland from abroad. In some cases, the black widow spider has hidden in crates of fruit coming from other countries. The black widow's bite is highly poisonous and must be treated immediately.

• 3

  Take a picture of a spider and upload it online. Websites such as the Spider Identification Location Chart can help you identify the spider by looking at important charateristics and the location where the spider was found.

• 4

  Educate yourself. Since there are so many varieties of spiders, and many of the deadly varieties come from abroad, one of the best ways to identify dangerous spiders is by reading texts about spiders. Websites such as the World Spider Catalog have large listings of spiders, and local libraries will likely have a number of resources available.

• 5

  Go to a museum and ask an expert. Even when you know what you're looking for, identifying spiders can be extremely difficult. Show a picture of the spider to a curator and see if she can help you. Museum curators, especially those who work in museums with extensive arachnid collections, will be in a better position to identify the spider.