20-04-2025
Researcher confirms tarantulas and 'zombie spiders' are in UK
"Zombie spiders" have now joined tarantulas in the UK, according to researchers.
Sightings have been made of newly discovered fungus crazy creatures in the country.
The white-foamed spiders are infected by a parasitic, entomopathogenic fungus which takes control of both their brains and bodies.
This then puts them into a zombie-like state but the fungus slowly consumes the spider and kills it.
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A zombie spider infected by the fungus. (Image: Tim Fogg)
These spiders were first found by Sir David Attenborough in caves in Northern Ireland.
Now, according to the Espress, someone working on a garden in Wanstead, East London has found 15 of these the infected spiders.
Gareth Jenkins, landscaper at Greenman Landscaping, told the publication: "They had almost see-through legs and were about half an inch big.
"I've been a landscaper for 20 years and never in my life have I seen something like this."
The 46-year-old revealed that the British Mycological Society confirmed that these spiders were infected with the zombie parasite.
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Mr Jenkins added: "They assured me it can't spread to humans but if I saw one of them run towards me, I know I will died of a heart attack.
"The house is just in the middle of suburbia, you would never expect to find these spiders here."
It has been confirmed that the zombie parasite does not spread to humans.
The Uk is already home to many species of spider including a type of tarantula.
As BBC Countryfile's wildlife researcher Adele Brand confirmed, the purseweb spider is Britain's only tarantula.
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The purseweb spider. (Image: Susquehanna University)
It is a member of the family that contains these 'tropical giants' but is a stay-at-home spider.
It spends most of its life inside that silken tube, which has been compared to an old purse and a dirty sock, hence its name.
The whole structure can be up to 25cm long but only a small part protrudes above the soil surface.
Despite all of this this, residents in Oxfordshire have been advised not to worry about the higher volume of spiders entering homes in spring.
A spokesperson for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) said: ''Spiders live alongside us all year round and this is something to celebrate, not fear.
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— Oxford Mail (@TheOxfordMail) April 9, 2025
'These amazing animals are a vital part of our ecosystems, feeding on an astounding number of insects.
'Many of the insects they eat are considered pests of food crops, garden plants and even people, so having spiders around is a great natural alternative to pesticides.
'Some spiders have found their perfect home in our houses, hunting the other invertebrates that find their way inside, from house flies to wasps and mosquitoes.
'They tend to keep themselves to themselves, preferring dark corners where they can live in peace.'
