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This is another species of false Black Widow, which is native to Southern Europe, West Asia and North Africa. Which is one of 6 species, which can be found in the UK. Often mistaken for the notorious black widow especially as the female is jet black with red crescent markings around the abdomen. Like other false black widow spiders the bite can be painful but its venom is harmless unless allergic. The female I had in captivity had a cream crescent gradually changing to red as the female matured.
The male spider is slightly smaller with, banded legs, and crescent around the front of the abdomen with an oak leaf pattern over the centre of the abdomen; the females can also have these markings on the abdomen.
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