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Distribution and habitat

Distribution

Worldwide

  • Madeira
  • Canary Islands
  • Africa
  • mainland Europe
  • UK

UK

The false widow spider commonly occurs along a stretch of the south coast of England from Devon through to Dorset, Sussex and more recently along to Essex. 

Steatoda nobilis is now spreading 

  • quite rapidly south to London (Surrey) and Berkshire while increasing in Essex
  • northwards with recent records from Leicestershire and Barry, South Glamorgan

Steatoda nobilis has been established near the south coast of England for over a century with strongholds on the Dorset and Hampshire coast. 

The false widow spider is thought to be repeatedly introduced at ports with imports of bananas.

Habitat

Steatoda nobilis is strongly synanthropic and is most commonly found in and around domestic and commercial premises, including conservatories, public toilet blocks, garages and sheds.

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Glossary

Synanthropic

is a term applied to animals of various kinds which live near, and benefit from, an association with and the somewhat artificial habitats that humans create around them. Those habitats include houses, gardens, farms, roadsides, garbage dumps, etc.