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Nosferatu spider expansion in Germany and Switzerland

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2026-09-18 14:53 UTC → 2026-10-13 08:14 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The expansion of the Nosferatu spider (Zoropsis spinimana) into Germany and Switzerland continues to be driven by climate change, specifically warmer, drier summers and milder winters. In Germany, the spread has become widespread. Data from the Nature Conservation Union (Nabu) recorded approximately 47,000 sightings as of September 2024. A study in ‘Frontiers in Arachnid Science’ indicated that by 2022, the species had reached nearly all German federal states, with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern remaining one of the few areas where the spider is still rare. As previously noted, encounters often increase during the autumn mating season when spiders seek shelter in attics or basements to overwinter. While experts like Dr. Arnold Staniczek maintain that the spiders are largely harmless and that fears are often exaggerated, they can bite if provoked. A documented incident in Riehen, Switzerland, highlighted this risk when a woman described a bite as being “three times more intense than a wasp sting.” By October 2026, sightings in German homes, garages, and terraces continue to rise. Experts describe the species as a “winner of climate change.” While its yellowish-brown body and skull-like pattern can cause alarm, specialists emphasize that the spider is not dangerous. Bites remain rare and are typically compared to a mild wasp sting. To manage encounters during the October and November mating season, experts recommend catching the spiders with a glass and releasing them outdoors.

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