Arachnophobia – venomous spiders terrorising Kilkenny homes
By COLIN BARTLEY
DO YOU have a fear of eight-legged freak? You may have reason to now.
Kilkenny residents are being warned to be on the look-out for venomous spiders that have been taking over homes in the county.
False Widow spiders have taken up residence in South Kilkenny and Waterford.
People are presenting themselves to health services complaining of nasty bites. One Waterford woman spent six days in hospital recently, with a blood infection caused by a bite from the dangerous spiders.
The False Widow spiders spend their time close to buildings and houses inhabited by people and usually live in cracks in walls.
The spiders are mostly active at night due to the cooler temperatures.
It’s usually at night the spiders roam from there web, with some making their way into people’s homes.
People are being told to look out for the spiders in toilets, kitchens, lofts, and conservatories, as they prefer warm ventilated rooms.
The spiders are thriving in Ireland this year due to the mild winter. The mild, wet climate here means they easily survive.
How to recognise a False Widow Spider?
It’s a small, round spider with a brown body, cream-coloured markings with reddish-orange colour legs, and range in size from 1cm to 1.5cm – around the same size as a two-euro coin.
