The Australian house spider has been found in the Netherlands, according to the EIS Insect Information Centre. According to biologist Jenze Noordijk of the Knowledge Centre, few observations of the strange spider have been made in the country so far.
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This spider, originally from Australia, has previously been established in several countries outside Europe, including North America, New Zealand, South Africa and several countries in South America. In Europe, the species was first observed in 2010, and has since reached England and Germany, among others.
In the Netherlands, the first observations were made in Zevenhoven, in the garden centre in Almere and in the industrial area in Uithoorn. A specimen was also spotted this summer in a trading company in Ede. The EIS Knowledge Centre expects the Australian house spider to spread further throughout the country in the near future.
To chart the spider's progress, the Knowledge Center is urging people to be vigilant and report spider observations. The Australian house spider can be identified by a distinctive mark on the top of its body, which is several centimeters in size, and is often found in shrubs or behind tree bark in urban areas and around buildings.
Heart of Holland/Afghan National Police
