The “Biggest Venomous Spider in the UK” has just arrived in the UK and isn’t leaving. Unexpectedly, a large, poisonous spider from Spain has appeared in a peaceful UK nursery, concealed behind a consignment of olive trees. The eight-legged stowaway, despite its frightening size and teeth, has found a unique new home.
The largest spider in Europe, the Spanish funnel-web spider (Macrothele calpeiana), has unexpectedly travelled to the United Kingdom. It arrived in a West Sussex nursery concealed behind a cargo of olive trees from Córdoba, Spain. Curiosity, worry, and a surprising amount of admiration have been generated by this finding among spider enthusiasts.
Imagine discovering a huge, jet-black spider peacefully walking across the yard after unloading a shipment of trees. This is precisely what occurred to a West Sussex nursery owner who described the bizarre experience:
“My son, who was driving the forklift, saw it when he drove past. He just saw it out of the corner of his eye walking slowly across the yard. He rang me and said there’s something big just walked across the yard and under a pot.”
The spider was later identified as Macrothele calpeiana, which has been the largest species in Europe since 1989. The spider had caught a ride with a group of olive trees from Córdoba.
Observations on the Spanish Funnel Web Spider
Following the unloading of a shipment of olives from Cordoba, a West Sussex nursery saw the Spanish funnel-web spider. The Australian funnel-web, one of the most deadly spiders on the globe, is what most people think of when they hear the term “funnel-web spider.” But the funnel-web from Spain is a completely different species.
It is poisonous but it doesn’t kill anybody. Spider specialist Jack Casson, who has now adopted the animal, claims that its venom has no medicinal value: “The spider is venomous but isn’t medically significant—meaning it can’t kill humans. Although I bet a bite would hurt a lot, I don’t plan on finding out either way.”
The female spider, now known as Bessie, is rapidly settling into her new home in Hartlepool. She has already begun weaving webs and shown that she has a voracious appetite, quickly gobbling up five crickets.
Since big spiders aren’t particularly popular in the UK, many people could be curious if Bessie’s family could start a colony there. Although Macrothele calpeiana is mostly found in southern Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar and is protected by EU conservation rules, it has inadvertently been introduced into France and Italy.
The cold environment in the UK, however, poses a serious threat to their existence. It seems improbable that these spiders could flourish in the wild throughout Britain because they prefer warmer Mediterranean climates.
This surprise appearance is a warning about biosecurity hazards, not just a spider story. Each year, hundreds of non-native species are unintentionally brought in by the global plant trade, some of which have the potential to upset regional ecosystems.
The appearance of this enormous Spanish spider presents a chance to dispel widespread anxieties. Macrothele calpeiana is a species that is not aggressive, despite its terrifying size.
Spiders are essential for regulating insect populations, lowering the demand for pesticides, and preserving ecological equilibrium.
As a supporter of misunderstood arachnids, Casson hopes that Bessie’s narrative will alter the way that people think about spiders: “Spiders are hugely misunderstood, and people often fear them without realizing how beneficial they are.”
For the time being, Bessie continues to be an intriguing curiosity, a reminder of how international trade is reducing the size of the natural world, and a test of our understanding of the animals that inhabit our globe. Take a deeper look the next time you examine an imported plant because you never know who might have snuck in.