20 facts about spiders

After Sun reader's bite horror, we reveal things
you never knew about our eight-legged friends

THIS is the season for finding Britain’s most feared creepy-crawlies.

The Sun revealed yesterday how Natalie Hemme, 31, almost died after suffering a nasty bite from a house spider in her Surrey home.
Here, BEN JACKSON reveals 20 things you might not know about the eight-legged beasties.

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The UK tops the list of countries whose populations most fears spiders.
Half of all women and one in five men have an aversion to spiders – though some men may be lying to appear braver.
There are at least a dozen spider types in the UK that have been recorded as giving a significant or unpleasant bite.
There are 650 different species of spider here – half of them are tiny money spiders, which people believe are lucky.
The study of spiders dates back to first British expert Dr Thomas Muffet. Some believe it is his daughter, Little Miss Muffet, who sat on a tuffet in the nursery rhyme.
A colony of deadly black widow spiders previously established themselves in Greenham Common, Berks, and maybe came over with US missiles.

Did you know? ... facts about spiders

A single spider can produce up to seven different types of silk.
Chris Galton collapsed earlier this year having been bitten ten times by the UK’s most venomous spider, the false widow.
House spiders can survive for several months without food or water.
The male crab spider mates by holding its partner’s legs until she stops struggling, before tying her down.
The false widow, the lace weaver, the rustic wolf, the bark sac, the stone spider, the garden spider and the money spider are all reported as having bitten victims in the UK.
The UK’s biggest spider is the great raft, with legs measuring three inches.
UK expert Dr Helen Smith hand-rears great rafts in the kitchen at her home.
The pretty ladybird spider is large and velvety with black spots.
We see more spiders in autumn as it is breeding season and males are out mating.
The ground weaver spider has only ever been found in one place – Plymouth.
One of the most popular treatments for arachnophobes is aversion therapy – exposure to spiders for long periods.
Most spiders only live for a year, but some house spiders can live longer.
You have fewer spiders in your garden at this time of year but they will be bigger.
A file of reports of spider bites in the UK includes the following: “Burning sensation on right of ribs, like being scalded, stabbing pains. Also flu-like symptoms.”
Source: The Sun