<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Steatoda nobilis (Thorell, 1875) </Td> </Tr> <P> Steatoda nobilis is a spider in the genus Steatoda, known in the United Kingdom as the noble false widow and often referred to as the false widow . As the common name indicates, the spider superficially resembles and is frequently confused for the black widow and other spiders in the genus Latrodectus, which can have medically significant venom . Steatoda nobilis is native to Madeira and the Canary Islands from where it allegedly spread to Europe, and arrived in England before 1879, perhaps through cargo sent to Torquay . In England it has a reputation as one of the few local spider species which is capable of inflicting a painful bite to humans, with most bites resulting in symptoms similar to a bee or wasp sting . It has also been found in California and Chile . </P> <P> Steatoda nobilis has a brown bulbous abdomen with cream coloured markings that are often likened to the shape of a skull . The legs are reddish - orange . Females range in size from about 9.5 to 14 mm in size, while males are 7 to 11 mm . Males are able to produce stridulation sounds during courtship, by scraping 10 - 12 teeth on the abdomen against a file on the rear of the carapace . </P> <P> The spider is an introduced species across Europe, plus parts of North Africa, and likely spreading . It was found for the first time in 2011 in Cologne, Germany . It is originally from the Canary Islands and Madeira . In England it has been reported mostly in southern counties, but its range appears to be expanding northwards . In 2011, the spider was reported as an established invasive species in the USA, in Ventura County, California . In January 2016, it was reported that Steatoda nobilis had been found in Chile, the first time that the species had been recorded in the southern hemisphere . </P>

A spider with a skull on its back