Black widow stowaways re-homed at Bristol Zoo Gardens - 08/12/11

Two venomous new arrivals have been re-homed at Bristol Zoo Gardens after hitching a ride into the country on a car imported from California.

For almost a year a pair of black widow spiders concealed themselves in the bodywork of a 1964 Ford Falcon, imported by Bicester-based motorsport company, Damax. The spiders were only discovered when the bodywork of the car was stripped for restoration.

Robin Ward, manager of Damax, explains: “We brought the car over in January and it had been stored in a garage until last week when our mechanic started getting it ready to work on. 

“We found the first spider tucked under the fuel tank and carefully put it in a plastic container and looked on the internet to try and identify it.”

The spiders are around 1.5 inches long and have distinctive red hourglass markings on their under-belly, which Robin was able to identify with some certainty.

He added: “Fortunately I’m not scared of spiders, but I had quite a shock when we first suspected it could be a black widow. We continued stripping the car with a great deal of caution, and couldn’t believe it when we found a second spider under the dashboard.”

“We were advised to phone a few organisations which might be able to take the spiders, but none were able to. Then someone suggested we phone Bristol Zoo, which we did, and they were happy to help.

“I wanted the spiders to be re-homed rather than killed, so it is great that they are now at the Zoo for people to see and learn about.”

“We would have never found either of the spiders had we not completely stripped the car, but we’ve finished it now and are 100 per cent certain that there are no more!”

Mark Bushell, assistant curator of invertebrates at Bristol Zoo, said: “It is quite common for insects to be unknowingly imported into the country, but it is very rare for it to be something as dangerous as a black widow spider.

“I imagine they were spiderlings when they came into the UK, and they have survived by eating flies and other small bugs while they were in the garage. They are fully grown adults now, if a little bit thin, but we’ll feed them up and they will be perfectly happy and healthy here.”

Mark added: “Black widow spiders are not as deadly as people think as we now have the medicine to treat the effects of the spiders’ venom. Having said that, they could still do some quite serious harm and their bite would certainly cause health problems, so it is for the best that this pair has come to us as we have the knowledge and facilities to look after them.”

One of the spiders is now living in the zoo’s black widow spider exhibit – a replica outside toilet - in Bug World. The exhibit plays on the popular belief that the spiders’ favourite hiding place is under the toilet seat!

The second spider is being kept safely under lock and key in the Zoo’s off-show venomous invertebrate cabinet. The new arrivals have come at the right time for the Zoo as its previous black widow spider died of old age in October.

Black widow spiders live for around two years and are native to the Unites States. They are venomous but not deadly, as is commonly thought. The venom from a black widow causes cramps and fever.

Bristol Zoo Gardens is a conservation and education charity and relies on the generous support of the public not only to fund its important work in the zoo, but also its vital conservation and research projects spanning five continents.

To find out more about Bristol Zoo, visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk or phone 0117 974 7300.

Spider phobic? There are still places on Bristol Zoo's spider phobia courses in January and March 2012. For more information visit: http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/other-courses

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact Bristol Zoo’s press office:

Lucy King, T: 0117 974 7306 or E: lking@bristolzoo.org.uk

Vanessa Hollier, T: 0117 974 7309 or E: vhollier@bristolzoo.org.uk

Notes to the Editor:

Bristol Zoo Gardens

• Bristol Zoo is open from 9am every day except Christmas Day. 
• Bristol Zoo Gardens is a conservation and education charity and relies on income from visitors and supporters to continue its important work. 
• In 2011 Bristol Zoo celebrates its 175^th anniversary and wants to do more than celebrate.
• Over that past 175 years, the Zoo has brought six generations of Bristolians closer to wildlife, helped save over 175 species from extinction, established over 30 field conservation and research programmes all over the world, showed 40 millionschool-aged children the wonder of nature and given more than 90 million visitors a wonderful day out.
• Throughout 2011 we’re bring people, businesses, charities and wildlife together to share amazing experiences that raise awareness and funds to save threatened wildlife and places. To find out more, visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk/whats-on
• Bristol Zoo has supported and been actively in gorilla conservation in Cameroon since 1998.
• Throughout 2011 we will be focusing our efforts on raising funds and awareness in support of gorilla conservation.
• Throughout 2011 Bristol Zoo will support the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria Ape Campaign. The campaign aims to make a significant and lasting contribution to the continued survival of apes and their habitats, and is being led by Dr Bryan Carroll, the Director of Bristol Zoo.
• To find out more about the EAZA Ape Campaign visit the Zoo website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/conservation-campaigns.
• Bristol Zoo is involved with more than 100 co-ordinated breeding programmes for threatened wildlife species. 
• Itemploys over 150 full and part-time staff to care for the animals and run a successful visitor attraction to support its conservation and education work. 
• Bristol Zoo supports – through finance and skill sharing - 15 projects in the UK and abroad that conserveand protectsome of the world’s most endangered species.
• In 2010 Bristol Zoo Gardens set up a Conservation Fund to raise vital funds to help care for threatened animals and plants – both in the Zoo and through the conservation work we do in the UK and around the world.
• Bristol Zoo Gardens is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums. BIAZA represents more than 90 member collections and promotes the values of good zoos and aquariums.