Many Austrians are disgusted by spiders.
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Vorarlberg’s spider population has a new member: the Nosferatu spider is becoming more and more common.
Many Austrians are afraid of spiders. Eight-legged, fast and often even hairy: Some people feel uncomfortable when they see one of the animals. Now a new specimen, coming from the Mediterranean region, is particularly popular in Vorarlberg, but also in the rest of Austria and Germany: the Nosferatu spider.
She is quite stocky, hairy, about two inches tall, and has distinctive markings on her body, from which she gets her name. Although their bite is harmless to humans, it is still painful – roughly comparable to a wasp sting.
Spider likes it warm
Interesting Fact: The Nosferatu spider does not build webs. However, it likes a warm environment, so climate change contributes to the spread of this animal in our latitudes. But that also means that the Nosferatu spider likes to stay in or near apartments and houses. Encounters with the residents are therefore inevitable.
In Austria, it is mainly sighted in Vorarlberg, inatura specialist Klaus Zimmermann confirmed dozens of sightings to ORF Vorarlberg, the first in 2014. And the number is growing every year. Brrr!
