The exotic Nosferatu spider is now increasingly spreading in Vienna. The eight-legged friend has already been spotted here.
Nearly ten percent of Austrians suffer from arachnophobia, which means they become afraid when they are near a spider. News that the exotic Nosferatu spider is increasingly spreading in the city is likely to do little to calm the situation. This spider species is native to the Mediterranean region, but has spread north in recent decades, mainly due to climate change and global trade.
Favorable living conditions
Since 2017, the spider species has also been found in Vienna. At that time it was found only in three districts, but now it lives in all parts of the city. The reason: increasingly higher temperatures due to climate change and therefore favorable living conditions. According to NaturObservation.at, there have been 38 reports this year alone, of which 24 have been confirmed. The animal was often spotted in the west of Vienna.
The species originally lives on rocks and tree trunks and is therefore good at ‘climbing’. That is why he likes to stay in our apartments or houses or near houses, on facades and terraces. In Simmering it was discovered in the garden under a grill cover.
On terraces and facades
What’s special about the eight-legged friend? It specifically seeks out human homes and spreads over terraces and facades. Especially now in autumn, the animal often seeks protection from the cold in houses or apartments. But is the spider dangerous?
The spider “Nosferatu” can bite, but only if it feels threatened or pinched. “There are a few documented bite cases, but their bite is virtually harmless and corresponds to the symptoms of a Gelsen sting,” says Christoph Hörweg, head of the 3rd zoological department at the Natural History Museum Vienna.
Source: Krone
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