Wasp spiders may gain a foothold in Central Russia

Since the beginning of the summer of 2025, wasp spiders have been spotted in 20 regions of Russia, Izvestia estimates. Most of the reports of their detection are in Central Russia.

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Previously, the habitat of wasp spiders was much narrower, said Ruslan Butovsky, Professor and head of the International Cooperation Department at the All-Russian Research Institute of Ecology.

"They only met in the southern regions," he stressed.

Under favorable climatic conditions, wasp spiders can become permanent inhabitants of Central Russia, Ruslan Butovsky believes.

Other experts interviewed by Izvestia believe that these arthropods will continue to breed further north. According to experts, with continued warmth, this year they can reach the Perm Territory, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, St. Petersburg, as well as the Bryansk, Smolensk, Kirov, Vologda, Pskov and Novgorod regions.

The bite of such a spider is comparable to that of bees and wasps, noted arachnologist Fyodor Martynovchenko. According to him, these arthropods are poisonous, but the amount of toxic substances they emit is not enough to cause serious harm to an adult. However, other experts warn that children, people with thin skin, and allergy sufferers should still avoid being bitten by this spider.

Read more in the exclusive Izvestia article:

They weave wherever they can: wasp spiders have spread to 20 regions of Russia