Scotland's scariest and most striking spiders

The nurseryweb is a large spider - adults are 10 to 15 mm in length - which is shaped a bit like a short cigar with long, robust legs. When resting, the front pairs of legs are typically held outstretched and close together to the front. Body colour is variable but the front segment of the body almost always has a darker central band with a thin white or yellow line down the middle. The Nurseryweb is most abundant in the south of the UK, with scattered recorded sightings in Scotland. However, experts believe the spider may be spreading more widely north of the border.

The strawberry spider has been found only at Killiecrankie in Perthshire and at Corrimony, near Glen Affric, prior to 2002. It has also been recorded near Fort Augustus and Spean Bridge, before being found at Dundreggan during a survey there in 2009. The spider's range in Scotland seems to be increasing, with discoveries in other parts of Glen Moriston, Glen Garry and at Loch Arkaig. The Glen Moriston records account for most of the currently-known population in Scotland.

This spider has a thin body with the two clearly visible body sections and long, delicate-looking legs. Although it is widespread in the southern half of Britain, there are relatively few records of the species in Scotland. However, observations suggest the spider is spreading northwards and it is likely that it is more common north of the border than we think.

As average temperatures rise, the spider everyone loves to hate is steadily increasing its range and has been spotted with increasing regularity north of the border.

The population of the species - whose bite is usually as painful as a bee sting - is thought to be growing strongly, with reported sightings surging nationwide. False widow spiders love lurking in toilets, kitchens and conservatories. The false widow made headlines in late 2013 when a Kent man was left with lesions on his leg after being bitten, while a 39-year-old decorator almost lost his leg after disturbing a false widow nest in an Essex school. There have also been sightings across Scotland in recent years, including in Glasgow and Edinburgh.