The wasp spider is spreading in Germany. Previously she lived only in southern Europe. That is why it is also seen as a harbinger of climate change.
Hanover – The wasp spider is spreading in Germany. It is considered a harbinger of climate change, because up until around 50 years ago it was still so cold in Germany that the wasp senses could only find a habitat in southern Europe. But since then, according to the German Weather Service, it has gotten warmer every decade. Now it is also being seen more and more frequently in northern Europe, as “galileo.tv” had reported. It can bite and is poisonous, but is it also a danger to humans?
| spider | wasp spider |
| family | Real orb weavers |
| genus | Argiope |
| spider of the year | 2021 |
Poisonous spider spreads in Germany: pain like after a wasp sting
Wasp spiders only use their venom to kill their prey. In particular, these would include grasshoppers, bees, flies and wasps, although it actually got its name from the latter due to its yellow and black appearance. The spider is also known as a tiger spider or zebra spider. They ambush their prey in the nest and then paralyze them with their bite. For humans, however, the poison is harmless, as reported by kreiszeitung.de.
This is also due to the fact that the wasp spiders cannot penetrate any skin with their mouthparts, except in extremely thin places such as earlobes. However, if a bite does occur, it can redden like a wasp sting and cause pain. It only becomes dangerous for humans when an allergy is present. In addition to the wasp spider, the Nosferatu spider is now also spreading in Germany and even in North Rhine-Westphalia.
From the Mediterranean to Northern Europe: wasp spiders are spreading in Germany
The wasp spider originally comes from the Mediterranean region. In particular, the now milder winters ensure that, in addition to the wasp spiders, more and more exotic animal species would settle in Northern Europe, including deadly spiders in Germany. They are now seen almost everywhere in Europe, and they are also at home in Africa and Asia.
The wasp spider loves sunny, warm, and sheltered areas with low grasses that are home to many locusts. They are active between May and September. She doesn’t feel particularly at home near agriculture and avoids these areas.
