Dreaded false widow spider found in westmeath

A British laboratory has said it is 99 per cent certain that a spider trapped on Friday in Westmeath is one of the dreaded False Widows, which have a bite that can, in extreme circumstances, cause serious illness.

While there have been False Widows found elsewhere in the country, it is believed to be the first time one has been found in Westmeath, says pest control specialist, Kieran Lambert, who actually found the insect while doing a routine check for vermin at a premises in the county.
“I was checking on a mouse box, and there it was,” he says.
While he cannot disclose the exact location, he says it was in Westmeath.
He realised the moment he saw it that this wasn’t one of the normal spiders commonly found everywhere.
“It’s not hairy: it’s a smooth spider, with a rounded abdomen, and two white dots on its head,” he says.
It doesn’t have an especially large body, but including the legs, its span would be up to around an inch.
Kieran knew what to look out for, as pest control personnel have received plenty of word via circulars and newsletters, on how to identify False Widows.
But, while accustomed to dealing with pests, Kieran admits that he was taken aback when he saw the creature, which he captured and photographed – and he said he exercised caution while trapping it.
He then sent the photographs for identification purposes to a laboratory he uses in the UK, and on Monday, the laboratory confirmed that it was, most likely, a False Widow.