Science Up to seven centimeters
Large species of spider now widespread throughout Germany
Status: 17.04.2024 | Reading time: 2 minutes
A Nosferatu spider (Zoropsis spinimana)
Source: dpa/Robert Pfeifle
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The Nosferatu spider is now found throughout the country. Their bite penetrates the skin; only a few species of spiders are capable of this. The symptoms are similar to those of a wasp sting.
According to a study, the Nosferatu spider is much more widespread in this country than previously thought. With the help of a nationwide reporting portal It was found that the spider was already widespread in almost all of Germany in 2022, writes the Nature Conservation Association of Germany (Nabu). It was only rare in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Their territory is more than 2.3 times larger than expected, report Alexander Wirth and Gaby Schulemann-Maier from Nabu-naturgucker in the trade magazine “Frontiers in Arachnid Science“. “In the meantime, these spiders have probably spread even more widely,” said Schulemann-Maier in one Nabu announcement quoted.
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The Nosferatu Spider (Zoropsis spinimana) is one of the largest spiders in Germany and one of the few whose bite can penetrate human skin. The symptoms of a bite are described as comparable to those of a wasp sting – unless there is an allergy. The spider only bites very rarely, when directly threatened.
Mediterranean spider with a body up to two centimeters long
According to Nabu, the generally harmless spider reaches a body length of up to two centimeters and a leg span of around five centimeters. Adults and spiderlings are found in Germany all year round. They spend the winter in buildings such as houses or garages. They feed on flies, butterflies and other spiders, which can sometimes be larger than themselves.
According to Nabu, there is no need to be overly afraid of the spider, even if, like all spiders, it uses poison to stun its prey. You shouldn’t catch them with your bare hand, but rather put a glass over them, push a thin piece of cardboard under the glass and take the animal outside.
The spider, which comes from the Mediterranean region, was first seen in Germany in 2005, according to Nabu. Since then it has spread rapidly. She gets her name because you can supposedly see the face of the vampire Nosferatu from the 1922 silent film on her body.
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It has been assumed for some time that climate changes are the reason for the increased occurrence of the spider. “The first Nosferatu spiders found in Germany were probably holiday souvenirs that then multiplied in the shelter of houses,” said Frederik Eggers, team leader for nature and environmental protection at Nabu Lower Saxony, in 2022. Climate change and the associated mild winters favored the spread of the animals.