To think I may have released a False Widow/Poisonous spider?

[MissionItsPossible]

Was brushing my teeth this morning when I noticed a massive spider in a cup on the sink that made me jump. I didn't want it to crawl out so I put a tub of cream on top of the cup to lock it in and then got a shower. I didn't want to leave it there all day in case it died so before I went to work I carried the cup (still covered by the tub) and went to the bottom of the garden and released it. To my HORROR what I thought was a normal black spider actually had a yellowish body with black spots on it Does anyone know if this sounds like a poisonous spider? I am from England and live in a city.

NO PICTURES PLEASE.

[BarbarianMum]

I wouldn't worry about it. Firstly, all spiders are venomous - its just that few have mouthparts strong enough to pierce human skin.
Secondly even if it was some exotic tropical specimen (unlikely) , it won't be able to survive our climate. In fact, its probably been eaten by a bird already.

[ZeroFuchsGiven]

Well it wasn't a false widow.

[ZeroFuchsGiven]

Actually it sounds like a garden spider.

[MissionItsPossible]

Thank you, you've both made me feel better.

I am dying to google 'yellow spider with black spots' but don't want to see any pictures!

[jamoncrumpets]

My house in E London was covered in false widows. Honestly, dozens of them. They're everywhere in that part of London. You just live with them.

[MissionItsPossible]

Jam, why East London in particular? Is West, North or South London not good enough for them?

[jamoncrumpets]

They're pretty rife all over the SE.

[BitchQueen90]

Sounds more like a garden spider. False widows are mainly black.

[jamoncrumpets]

Increasing year on year too.

[jamoncrumpets]

False widows aren't 'massive' either. They're medium/small sized.

[Branleuse]

There is nothing to worry about.
We don't have any dangerous spiders in the UK. Any instances of people having reactions to a false widow bite were secondary infections that can happen from any break in the skin.
You've got a much greater chance of being hurt by a mosquito who actually go after you to feed on you than you have by any UK spider and tbh any northern European spider. Please try and get it in perspective x

[MissionItsPossible]

Thanks everyone

[WittyJack]

This. This is why we left London for the north 😂

OP I think the moral of this story is NEXT TIME LET IT DIE and burn your house down just to be sure the corpse has gone too!!

[MissionItsPossible]

WittyJack

@jamoncrumpets
Soon it’s going to be like the Waitrose map (the ‘W’s’ being ‘widows’, of course).

[DrWhy]

Mission I was looking forward to Waitrose finally teaching us - you’ve put me right off thinking they might be followed by a tide of false widows!