In article ,
Stephen Wolstenholme wrote:

A warm raised swelling patch is probably a spider bite rather than an
insect. Most spider bites hurt immediately but false widows get away
before any pain or swelling is noticed. They usually get better in a
day or two.

Not in the UK, it isn't. There are damn few British spiders that
can bite through the skin on most areas of most people, and those
symptoms are common in reaction to insect bites.

My neighbour was in hospital with a spider bite. His leg looked like a
red tree stump. The consultant said it was a garden spider bite. They
don't bit too often thank goodness but false widows do. He said he was
seeing two or three a month at this time of year.

See this site for information about spider bytes in the UK.

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/l.../spider-bites/

Sigh. 14 species out of c. 700 IS damn few. And, from that page:
When considering spider bites, caution is necessary because it is well
known that spiders often get the blame for bites and stings that are
actually caused by insects or even plants. Nevertheless, the incidents
quoted in this report are all considered to have been genuine cases of
spider bite.

Note: all 18 of them.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.