Poisonous spider spreads its range in Finland, bite causes strong reaction
A venomous spider species known as the yellow-sac spider continues to spread in Finland, with bites capable of causing a strong inflammatory reaction. First spotted in the country in 2022, it has now reached further along the southwestern coast.
A venomous spider species is spreading in Finland, and its bite can cause a strong inflammatory reaction, Finnish news service Yle reports, citing the newspaper Suomen Luonto.
The yellow-sac spider was first noticed in Finland on the island of Seili in 2022. Since then it has been found in other locations across the southwestern archipelago and coastline. In late summer this year, the spiders were discovered on the Porkkala peninsula in Kirkkonummi.
Spread across Europe
The largest populations of the yellow-sac spider are found in Central Europe, but the species has also spread to Sweden, Germany and the Baltic states. It is also present in Estonia.
Health effects
Research conducted in Central Europe indicates that the spider's venom can cause serious health consequences. The venom reportedly contains components that act at the cellular level and trigger a strong inflammatory reaction. Bites are often very painful, but according to studies the spider rarely bites — incidents happen almost always by accident, for example when the spider is picked up by hand or gets squeezed.
