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Red alert: Nosferatu spider is spreading rapidly in NRW!
The Nosferatu spider has been spreading in North Rhine-Westphalia since 2005. Citizens should report sightings. A painful but harmless bite awaits.
Red alert: Nosferatu spider is spreading rapidly in NRW!
The Nosferatu Spider, also known asZoropsis spinimana, is causing a stir in North Rhine-Westphalia. Since its first discovery in 2005, this species of spider, which originally comes from the Mediterranean region, has clearly spread throughout Germany. According to wa.de, over 25,000 new sightings were reported in autumn 2022, which illustrates the wide distribution and growing popularity of this spider. By April 2024, around 35,000 reports submitted by more than 20,000 people had not been heard.
The Nosferatu spider is one of the curly-hunting spiders (family Zoropsidae) and belongs to the superfamily of wolf spiders (Lycosoidea), as Wikipedia informs. Their body length varies between 10 and 19 mm, with males being smaller than females. With its eight legs it can reach a wingspan of up to five centimeters. This impressive level of adaptability has enabled the species to adapt well to its new environment.
Danger and detection
A bite from this spider is painful but not fatal. Allergy sufferers in particular should be careful, as the reactions can be quite problematic. Identifying the Nosferatu spider is relatively easy thanks to its distinctive markings on the front body that resemble a skull and a butterfly-like pattern on the back forebody. Other identifying features include a dark band with three spots on the back of the body and ringed legs.
What is particularly notable is that the Nosferatu spider does not sit in a web but hunts, making it a free-hunting species. It can climb on various smooth surfaces and hides in a small living web during the day, while at night it hunts prey such as flies and other spiders. Interestingly, their diet and hunting methods are also the reason for their rapid expansion.
Research and civic engagement
The massive spread of the Nosferatu spider has been fueled in part by human assistance. NABU and other organizations have launched a call for reports to document sightings. This citizen scientist initiative led to a significant increase in discovery reports. NABU Naturgucker has proven to be a valuable platform.
The data collected on the Nosferatu spider is scheduled to be published in the journal Frontiers in Arachnid Science in 2024 to share new insights into its distribution and ecology. Scientific exchange is important because the exact distribution of the spider has been greatly underestimated and many aspects of its lifestyle are still unknown.
The Nosferatu spider has thus established itself as an interesting research topic that concerns not only scientists but also citizens in Germany. Anyone who spots a sighting should report it immediately so that researchers can get a better picture of this fascinating and adaptable species.