White-Tailed Spider

As much as most of us have an innate dislike of spiders they are undoubted fascinating and even if we want them as far as way from us as possible the fascination remains. This photo is of the much maligned white-tailed spider Lampona cylindrata. In this example a juvenile with a body only 2mm in length. The beautiful banded colouring and translucent appendages are due to this spider being so small and will disappear as the spider matures.

This little spider has been unfairly labelled as the cause of horrid necrotic ulcers which never heal after a much publicised study back in the 1980s. In fact more recent studies have demonstrated that bites from this spider have only minimal short term effects. On the bad side however the white-tailed spider is a wandering nocturnal hunter and as it likes homes it is probably the biggest culprit of domestic spider bites we have here.


Until the next post, face your fears take spiders you find in your house back out into the garden rather than squashing them! ...Robert


Photo: Robert Rath: Juvenile White-Tailed Spider