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Venomous green-fanged tube web spiders spotted in Canterbury and Dover

This is one of the green-fanged venomous spiders caught crawling around homes and gardens in Kent.

The terrifying tube web spider, also known as the Segestria Florentina, has a painful bite that has been compared to a bee sting.

Mark Seager managed to catch a tube web spider. Picture: Mark Seager
Mark Seager managed to catch a tube web spider. Picture: Mark Seager

Mark Seager, from Canterbury, made the terrifying discovery at his home.

"My mum is an arachnophobe and was staying with us at the time," the 47-year-old told KentOnline.

"I've heard her screaming from half a mile away because of a money spider before - so if she had seen this one I'm pretty sure she would have just died on the spot."

Mr Seager quickly covered the critter with a glass and moved it to the back garden.

He added: "I'm not scared of spiders but there was no way I was picking it up with my hands.

Mark Seager, from Canterbury, made the terrifying discovery at his home. Picture: Mark Seager
Mark Seager, from Canterbury, made the terrifying discovery at his home. Picture: Mark Seager

"Those green fangs were huge."

The species of spider is usually found in Mediterranean countries and spins cylindrical tubes of cobwebs in brickwork.

It is recognised as being one of the largest in the UK.

They like to eat cockroaches, moths, bees, wasps - and even their own mothers.

Meanwhile, Lorraine Dowell from Dover caught one of the eight-legged beasts in her back garden.

Lorraine Dowell rescued the spider from drowning. Picture: Lorraine Dowell
Lorraine Dowell rescued the spider from drowning. Picture: Lorraine Dowell

But she revealed it was not the only one lurking in the shadows.

"There's one that lives under the kitchen window plus a couple in my shed," the 39-year-old said.

"I'd say there about three in the garden. I was emptying the kids paddling pool when I saw one crawling out from underneath and knew I had to rescue it from drowning.

"The kids were screaming at me to kill it but I had a feeling it was the one from the window sill so I couldn't hurt it."

Female tube web spiders can reach a body length of 22mm, while males can grow up to 15mm.

The spider web can be seen here. Picture: Lorraine Dowell
The spider web can be seen here. Picture: Lorraine Dowell

They spin a tubular web, often in cracks of buildings, to catch their prey.

About six silk lines are spun near the entrance where the spider lurks and when its prey triggers them with its legs, the spider pounces and eats it.

Read more: All the latest news from Canterbury

Read more: All the latest news from Dover

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