This surge is mostly linked to the spread of the UK’s most dangerous spider, the noble false widow, which recently left a 49-year-old Londoner with a deep chest wound.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/05\/22\/16\/108806185-15838099-The_rise_in_hospital_admissions_as_a_result_of_spider_bites_in_E-a-1_1779464762466.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe increase in hospitalizations due to spider bites in England has mainly been attributed to the spread of noble false widow spiders<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
A Londoner’s Ordeal: Bite Leads to ‘Massive Crater’<\/h2>\n
Adrian Martel developed a patch of infected tissue the size of a 50p coin after being bitten by one of these spiders\u2014native to the Canary Islands and Madeira, but now expanding across Britain.<\/p>\n
Mr Martel believes the spider\u2014which attacked him last month\u2014was hiding on the seatbelt of his Mini convertible, given the bite’s location on his chest.<\/p>\n
He said: ‘Sometimes I see a spider inside the car. I never noticed the spider biting me or anything.<\/p>\n
‘Because of where the bite is, when I put the seatbelt on I must have squished the spider, and that’s where it bit me because it’s exactly where the seatbelt sits under my chest. I think it’s likely that’s where it happened.<\/p>\n
‘At first I just noticed it was itchy, then a bump under the skin appeared the next day. I thought it was a rash; I wasn’t sure.<\/p>\n
‘Then the following Monday I was teaching yoga, and the rubbing pain became unbearable.’<\/p>\n
Mr Martel decided to go to urgent care, where he was given antibiotics before the wound turned into a ‘massive crater’ just days later.<\/p>\n
He said: ‘At that point they told me it was an ingrown hair, but I’ve had ingrown hairs before and I know how they feel.<\/p>\n
‘The next day it was worse. It had turned black and become an open wound. I was just told to wait for the antibiotics to take effect.<\/p>\n
‘Then when I returned two days later, it was a massive crater with a lot of pus coming out. It had gotten much worse.’<\/p>\n
Mr Martel was told he needed surgery to remove the infected area from his chest.<\/p>\n
![\"Adrian](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/05\/22\/16\/108807199-15838099-image-a-3_1779465084812.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nAdrian Martel ended up with a 50p-sized area of infected skin on his chest after a noble false widow bite<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
How to Keep Spiders Away<\/h2>\n
Experts have now shared advice on how to keep these eight-legged pests from ruining a sunny bank holiday weekend.<\/p>\n
Dr Nisa Aslam, an NHS GP based in London, told the Daily Mail: ‘The main goal is to deter them, so they never have the opportunity to bite you.<\/p>\n
‘This advice applies not just to spiders, but also to ticks and sandflies.<\/p>\n
‘Natural deterrents include tea tree, citronella, lavandin grosso, niaouli, and peppermint\u2014exactly what you need.’<\/p>\n
![\"Dr](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/05\/22\/16\/108806163-15838099-Dr_Nisa_Aslam_has_recommended_tea_tree_citronella_lavandin_gross-a-2_1779464880939.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nDr Nisa Aslam recommends tea tree, citronella, lavandin grosso, niaouli, and peppermint for repelling spider bites<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Dr Aslam pointed out that these ingredients are particularly beneficial because they are non-neurotoxic\u2014meaning they cause no harm to the body\u2014and ‘offer hours of protection against serious conditions.’<\/p>\n
She suggested Puressentiel’s Bite & Sting Repellent & Soothing Spray, which she says contains all these components.<\/p>\n
Each ingredient on its own provides repellent properties.<\/p>\n
Natural Repellents Explained<\/h3>\n
Tea tree oil\u2014commonly used in products like shower gels and shampoos\u2014is believed to overload spiders’ sensory receptors because of its strong odor.<\/p>\n
Lavandin grosso, a cross between true lavender and spike lavender, is also considered effective due to its high camphor content, which produces a potent fragrance.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, niaouli\u2014extracted from a tree and sometimes used to treat coughs and bronchitis\u2014contains compounds such as eucalyptol and nerolidol, which can interfere with insect nervous systems.<\/p>\n
Peppermint is likewise thought to repel pests thanks to substances like menthol and menthone, which act as natural irritants.<\/p>\n
Dr Aslam warned that hot weather may increase the likelihood of encountering spiders.<\/p>\n
Although temperatures are expected to reach up to 33C in some parts of England during the upcoming bank holiday weekend, she noted that without repellents, the best way to protect exposed skin is unfortunately to wear long sleeves and trousers.<\/p>\n
NHS Guidance on Spider Bites<\/h2>\n
The NHS states that spider bites in the UK are uncommon, except those from the noble false widow, which they say ‘usually only bite if handled or disturbed accidentally.’<\/p>\n
According to guidelines, a false widow bite typically feels similar to a wasp sting and may leave small, painful puncture marks on the skin. In rare instances, people may feel sick or develop more serious reactions.<\/p>\n
Experts advise against scratching the bite, as this can increase the risk of infection, and caution against relying on unverified home remedies.<\/p>\n
Emergency assistance should be sought by calling 999 if symptoms indicate a severe allergic reaction, including sudden swelling of the lips, mouth, or throat, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or changes in the color of the skin, lips, or tongue.<\/p>\n
Other serious warning signs include feeling faint, becoming unusually drowsy, or collapsing. In children, a limp or floppy body may also signal a medical emergency.<\/p>\n
Wider Threat: Ticks and Lyme Disease<\/h2>\n
The concern for Britons extends beyond spiders, as Dr Aslam highlighted the increasing threat from ticks in the UK.<\/p>\n
Her warning comes after news that cases of potentially fatal Lyme disease rose by more than 20 percent in England over the past year.<\/p>\n
Triggered by bacteria carried by ticks that feed on the blood of animals and humans, the disease can cause chronic joint pain, paralysis, and even heart issues.<\/p>\n
According to an analysis by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), there were 1,168 confirmed cases in 2025, up from 959 in 2024\u2014a 22 percent increase.<\/p>\n
Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which thrives inside ticks\u2014spider-like creatures usually found in long grass.<\/p>\n
Dr Aslam said: ‘Ticks\u2014small, spider-like creatures\u2014that feed on the blood of birds and mammals, including humans, are becoming a major problem in the UK.<\/p>\n
‘Some ticks carry a specific bacterium that can cause Lyme disease. This can leave you with uncomfortable flu-like symptoms, and for some people, these symptoms can persist for years.’<\/p>\n
She concluded by warning that the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rise in Spider Bite Hospitalizations Prompts Warning In the last ten years, the number of hospitalizations in England due to spider bites has doubled, highlighting the growing need for effective prevention strategies. NHS data reveals that in 2025, there were 100 hospital admissions linked to spider bites, up from just 47 in 2015. This surge<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9548,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bunyad_sub_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,4],"tags":[4218,3496,4219,4215,4220,4222,4221,4213,2164],"class_list":["post-9547","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-healthy-lifestyle","category-healthy","tag-citronella","tag-hospital-admissions","tag-lavandin-grosso","tag-natural-repellents","tag-niaouli","tag-noble-false-widow-spider","tag-peppermint","tag-spider-bites","tag-tea-tree-oil"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9547","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9547"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9547\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9590,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9547\/revisions\/9590"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9548"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9547"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9547"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9547"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}