Wildlife UK Forum - Discuss the UK countryside and wildlife

Hi everybody

I moved into my flat above a shop about three years ago and I live in Southsea in Hampshire about 10 mins walk from the sea front. I have a problem with the drain always blocking and consequently have major problem with flys and other insects making my yard a haven for spiders. I used to have loads of huge common garden spiders and various others but about 18 months ago everything disappeared and I found my yard had been taken over by tubeweb spiders. The yard has high walls on all four sides and I would estimate that each wall has at least 40-50 of these things which always hang out at night and I have to walk past to get to my door. I'm really not a huge fan of spiders but at least they stay in the same place and retreat back into their holes when the security light comes on.

Anyway, about two months ago I noticed that they were quickly dissapearing and I am now down to only several of the really large ones (which are huge) but I haven't seen them in the last week. I also noticed a few dead ones looking like they had been in a huge battle with limbs hanging off etc left hanging in various places. I also found unusually that a couple of the these spiders have ventured into my house in the last month and have even built funnel type webs in piles of clothes that were left hanging around - one had nested in a sock which fortunately I noticed two seconds before putting my foot into it

I also noticed that considering my previous massive problems with insect life (for which I have had to call pest control numerous times), my yard is now appearingly void of nature (apart from lots of dead things and woodlouse). I thought nothing of it at first and to be honest was just hugely relieved at the now seemingly spider free yard.

That was until my friend and I saw a massive spider which I cannot for one minute believe is English in origin. It was of a similar size to a tarantula - the body (minus legs) was much bigger than a mouse and the legs were approximately the size of a pencil. It was light coloured - grey/brown. It was certainly aware of us even though we stayed about five metres away and as we walked up and down to try and see it from different angles, it was watching our every move and turning to face us. It was walking around for quite a while afterwards as we watched it from my kitchen window and it doesn't appear to be the type of spider that hangs around in webs.

I have seen it twice now which both times were only when it was really hot and really sunny. I think it may be living in the big shed type storage building whose back wall make up one of the walls of my enclosed yard. My friend is from Brazil and is used to huge big horrible spiders and even she was scared and believed it definately is not native to this country.

Does anyone think I have a problem that needs to be sorted or will it be okay as I'm really not sure what to do about it.

Sorry for the long essay but I thought it would be best to give as much detail as possible as although I've tried to ignore it for the past few weeks, I can't help freaking out. I've never seen anything like it before.

Many thanks for any advice anyone can give me.

Sarah.

Sarah

Sounds very intersting!! There's no spider that big in the UK asfar as I recall. Can you try to get a picture of it?

As long as you don't poke at it is unlikely to cause you any problems.

Dave

Hi Sarah

Yes, photo please and we will find out what it is and advise you
best wishes

SCR

Hi Sarah, sounds amazing and definitely not English. I would say you might want to contact your local wildlife society, the spider might be harmless but you probably shouldn't handle it without checking first!

Thanks for your help

I will try and get pic but it doesn 't seem to come out too often. I will post as soon as I get one.

Kind regards, Sarah.

I look forward to the picture!

It's fascinating to me that this one spider, even though it is that big, could wipe out all the insect life in the garden so quickly. Do the other insects know they can't compete with the bigger spider so all move, or have they all been eaten?

sounds amazing, its not uncommon to hear of foreign wildife hitching a ride in fruit crates etc. but as above, a photo would really help. i look forward to seeing one!

Hi Saggy, I really hope you can get a photo because I would love to see a spider like this! Have you seen it again at all? I wonder if it can survive in the british climate.

any luck on a photo or sighting of that spider yet saggy? i think its safe to say you have us all intrigued in here!

Hi Guys

really sorry for taking my time in getting back to you, am working full time and finishing a masters so seriously lacking in time. Unfortunately, everytime I've seen it, I have no battery power left on my camera and my mobile is old so camera cant pick up anything.

I have abit of a break from my masters after next week so can try a bit harder to get pic.

All tube-webs have dissappeared now. I know some died as I saw them and I know some of them tried to move indoors which they have never done before. Some of the larger ones appeared to try and hold their ground for a while but they too now have dissappeared. I would imagine that some might have moved away. Some of them were huge and some of the funnels they have created are quite impressive and considering they are quite aggressive spiders, it must be a good reason why they've dissappeared.

Still no sign of any more insect life (except woodlice and slugs). as I mentioned before, I have major problems with flys due to problem drain and the tube webs did great job in keeping them at bay over the last year and half. strangely, even though all spiders gone - fly numbers still appear to be low?.

I think it is living in this storage building which backs onto my yard. The shops (i live on top of furniture shop) use it to store furniture so probably quite warm in there. Maybe I can go in there and have a look - If i have the guts!!!!!

I have looked through lots of images on web and the only thing that appears in any way to resemble this one is a tarantula as they hold their body and legs in the same way - didn't seem so hairy though.

Am really curious myself now so would like to identify it. Onthe plus side, although I wasn't exactly a screamer, I didn't particularly like spiders but don't seem to have so much of a problem now (with the normal ones)

I will update you as soon as I can and thanks for your comments.

Tata, Sarah.

Oh Sarah!!

Can't wait any longer!!

Just get down there, drag the poor thing out - by its legs if you have to. Photograph it! (Take a friend with a charged up camera) Your friend may come in handy if the spider decides to retreat back into hole taking you with it.
Don't worry about the spider reporting you to the RSPCA! I'm sure we'll all act as character witnesses.

Oh i'm a big spider fan,having 5 tarantulas myself,but this one you found sounds too big for a native. There is one species of spider in the Uk that is bigger than most,but even that doesn't sound big enough. Would love to see a pic!

Good luck Sarah, I'm eagerly awaiting the photo, can't wait to see what it's like! As GrrenLarry says it sounds far to big to be a native, but even if it is it would be fascinating to see how big it is.