false widow
Misidentified dangerous spider
False widow refers to several species of spider resembling the notorious black widow but lacking its potent venom.
Native to Europe and now established in Britain and elsewhere, false widows occasionally bite humans, causing mild to moderate pain.
Media reports often exaggerate the danger: The tabloids blamed a false widow for his leg infection.
Abandoned spider silk
- silkFine woven insect fiber
- spinneretsSilk-extruding spider organs
- eight-leggedPossessing four pairs of limbs
- cephalothoraxFused cranial-trunk section
abdomen · carapace · exoskeleton · arthropod · invertebrate · molting · predator · nocturnal
Pierce with teeth
- envenomationInjection of animal poison
- necrosisLocalized cell death
- toxinBiological-origin harm agent
- fangsSharp piercing teeth
swelling · pain · infection · allergic · anaphylaxis · antivenom · cytotoxin · wound
One who closely resembles another
- mistakenIncorrectly understood or believed
- confusionMental disorientation or bewilderment
- harmlessCausing no injury
- mythTraditional explanatory tale
exaggerated · misnomer · fear-mongering · sensationalism · misreported · overblown · resemblance · markings
Island off northwestern Europe
- IrelandNorth Atlantic island republic
- invasiveEncroaching without welcome
- spreadingExtending over space
- urbanPertaining to cities
Mediterranean · introduced · established · conservatory · outbuilding · fence · warm · sheltered
cobweb
Abandoned spider silk
- silkFine woven insect fiber
- spinneretsSilk-extruding spider organs
- eight-leggedPossessing four pairs of limbs
cephalothorax · abdomen · carapace · exoskeleton · arthropod · invertebrate · molting · predator · nocturnal · insectivore
bite
Pierce with teeth
- envenomationInjection of animal poison
- necrosisLocalized cell death
- toxinBiological-origin harm agent
fangs · swelling · pain · infection · allergic · anaphylaxis · antivenom · cytotoxin · wound · inflammation
lookalike
One who closely resembles another
- mistakenIncorrectly understood or believed
- confusionMental disorientation or bewilderment
- harmlessCausing no injury
myth · exaggerated · misnomer · fear-mongering · sensationalism · misreported · overblown · resemblance · markings · similar
Britain
Island off northwestern Europe
- IrelandNorth Atlantic island republic
- invasiveEncroaching without welcome
- spreadingExtending over space
urban · Mediterranean · introduced · established · conservatory · outbuilding · fence · warm · sheltered · crevice
false widowblack widow
Lethal spider species
redback spider · brown widow · brown recluse · cellar spider · daddy longlegs
false, widow, falsely, falseness, falsehood, falsify, falsification, falsifier, falsity