Venomous false widow spiders which have been spotted in Sutton, Coulsdon and Mitcham have now been seen in Norbury.
This week it was revealed the eight legged creatures were scuttling around various locations in Sutton.
But now there have been sightings of the spiders, which are related to the black widow, in Norbury and Coulsdon.
Rachel Clarke, 27, of Norbury, said she saw a spider with the same markings as the false widow spider in the stairwell of her flats.
She said: “We have squashed it now but it was in the doorway of our flat.
“My daughter noticed it when I was out and when I was coming back home my neighbour stopped me and asked if I had heard about the false widow spider.
“She pointed out it was in my doorway and I went over to have a look and it was pretty big.”
She added: “It is the first one I have seen but my neighbour has seen some in the stairwell.”
A woman from Coulsdon in Croydon says she found a suspected false widow and caught it in a glass before drowning it and is now worried she may have to get her home fumigated.
False widows are not native to this country but have survived here since they arrived from the Canary Islands in the 1870s.
In recent weeks the arachnids, which are the most venomous spider to live in the UK, have been multiplying around south London.
The spiders have bulbous abdomens and thick legs that are often black or sometimes red.
They are usually black and shiny and have cream coloured markings on their backs that have been compared to skulls.
Their bites can cause burning and swelling although they have been known to cause people to black out.
A Croydon Council spokesman said: “False Widow spiders have a bite that is not deadly but that can cause a sometimes severe allergic reaction.
“They are not generally aggressive and are only likely to bite if they feel threatened. If you receive a bite from any spider you should seek medical attention.
“The council will help to identify spiders if they are trapped in a sealed container and brought into the council office at Bernard Weatherill House.”
If you have seen the spiders, have any pictures or even have been bitten, contact reporter Andy Bloss on 020 8722 6352 or abloss@london.newsquest.co.uk or use the comment facility below.
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