More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A mother has found a spider that experts believe could be one of the UK's most venomous at her home in Halfway on the Isle of Sheppey.
Kelly Carruthers, of Admirals Walk, took a picture of the creepy crawlie she came across hanging from a ceiling, the first of two she discovered.
Experts say false widows are spreading across the country and there have been seen more than 50 sightings in Kent and London.
Kent Wildlife Trust and one of their experts said although he cannot be 100%, he believes the pattern and appearance of the arachnid are consistent with that of a male steatoda nobilis, one of the two species known as false widows because of their resemblance to true black widow spiders.
Male spiders are not known to bite, but a female nip can cause swelling.
Only one person is thought to have been hospitalised by a spider bite, possibly due to an allergic reaction, and there have been no fatal incidents.
Kent Wildlife Trust Thames Gateway officer Greg Hitchcock said: "False widows have been present in Kent for several decades at least.
"I'd be surprised if they weren't found on Sheppey, some may even have come into the port over the years."
Miss Carruthers, 34, said she was surprised to learn the creatures have made it to the Island and is nervous about them, especially as she is allergic to wasp stings.
Her two-year-old daughter Penny also has a heart condition so she is worried a bite could trigger something more serious.
Miss Carruthers said although she was surprised they have made their way to Sheppey, she had thought it was a false widow when she saw it as she had been following the stories nationally.
She said: "I knew they liked to climb up high and it was hanging from the ceiling.
"It took three flushes to get rid of it and I found another one a few days later.
"I'm going to have to get some of that spray you can get. We'll have to be extra careful - but without being hysterical."
