- Nationwide Expansion of the Nosferatu Spider: Assessing Its Potential Danger
Introduced to the US in 2005, the Nosferatu arachnid has since become widely distributed across the country.Originating from the Mediterranean, this creepy crawler exhibits unique characteristics.
This spider thrives in warmth and can often be found inside buildings. According to the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), the Nosferatu arachnid (Zoropsis spinimana) is now almost everywhere in Germany. Measuring nearly two centimeters long and boasting a leg span of up to six centimeters, it's one of the largest spiders in the country.
Nosferatu Spider Can Bite, But Seldom Does
The spider is also one of the few arachnids in Germany that can potentially bite humans, NABU reports. However, its venom poses no danger to humans, and its bite feels like a mild wasp sting at most. It bites only rarely, usually only when provoked.
First discovered in Germany in 2005, in Baden-Württemberg, the Nosferatu spider is no longer scarce. In the fall of 2022 alone, over 25,000 new sightings were reported on the NABU-naturgucker.de platform, totaling around 35,000 reports from over 20,000 people.
The spider, belonging to the family of hunting spiders, is increasingly being found outside, in parks or gardens. Higher temperatures in recent summers in Baden-Württemberg are believed to be contributing to its spread, according to Hubert Höfer from the Natural History Museum Karlsruhe. The spider is particularly prevalent in this region along the Rhine valley.
How the Spider Got Its Name
NABU notes that the Nosferatu spider can stick to vertical glass surfaces due to specialized hairs. Despite belonging to the order of web spiders, it does not build webs, instead, it hunts its prey.
The spider's name comes from its physical resemblance to the vampire Nosferatu from the 1922 silent film.
If you encounter a Nosferatu spider in your home, Höfer advises staying calm: "We have spiders in all our homes and apartments." If it bothers you, you can just release it outside.
The Nosferatu arachnid, despite being one of the few spiders in Germany that can potentially bite humans, poses no danger to humans due to its harmless venom. Other areas outside of Germany have also begun reporting sightings of this peculiar spider, likely influenced by the increasing global interconnectedness.
