Tarantula Invasion in Austria: Over 200 Reports in Two Months
Since the beginning of September, Austria has recorded over 200 encounters with two species of tarantulas. Experts have confirmed 175 sightings, with the spiders most frequently observed in Styria.
Following Styria are Lower Austria (49) and Burgenland (43). So far, both species have only been found in Burgenland.
In autumn, the spiders seek shelter from the cold and sometimes enter homes and garages. Some findings surprised specialists: the South Russian tarantula was spotted in Tulln, northwest of its known range, and the black-bellied tarantula in Stossau in the Gail Valley, marking the westernmost point of its habitat in the country.
Both species belong to the wolf spiders and rarely bite. The bite is painful but not dangerous to a healthy person.
According to the Austrian Nature Conservation Association, the South Russian tarantula has been known in the country since the 1920s, and the black-bellied tarantula since the 1970s. Scientists believe that warmer and drier summers contribute to their spread, and a similar increase in numbers is being recorded in the Czech Republic.
