After a first toxic false widow spider was sighted yesterday in Twickenham, the marauding minibeasts have been spotted all over the borough and beyond.

Readers and arachnid enthusiasts have been snapping away and sending their best shots to the Richmond and Twickenham Times newsdesk.

So far there have been several reported sightings in Twickenham and Kew as well as further afield in Hanworth and Heston.

This follows hundreds of false widow sightings across south and south-east London this week.

The false widow spider first came to the UK more than 100 years ago in crates of fruit from the Canary Islands.

False widows, often mistaken for the deadly black widow, are black and shiny with cream-coloured markings on their backs.

They have bulbous abdomens with thick legs which can be black or red.

Bites can cause burning and swelling and they have been known to cause people to pass out.

If you have come across or photographed a false widow spider, tell us about it using the comment facility below or email tom.ambrose@london.newsquest.co.uk.

 

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