Scientists researching the false widow spider say their bite can be more toxic than they previously thought.
According to scientists at NUI Galway the spider which has become more common in Irish households in recent years, has 111 out of 140 toxins in common with the more deadly Black Widow spider.
The research which is being conducted in collaboration with scientists in Belgium and published in the Toxins Journal, comes as more bites are being reported every year.
Although scientists have reiterated that the false widow bite is not fatal, they did say many victims experienced intense pain and swelling after they had been bitten.
They added that people shouldn’t be worried if they are bitten by a false widow as many cases don’t require medical treatment.
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