The incident occurred on Podchorążych Street. The driver entered the toilet and noticed a spider. Unaware of what species it was, he caught the arachnid in a container and notified the municipal police. The animal turned out to be a wasp spider. This spider is most common in southern Poland and was formerly protected. It is a species of orb-weaver spider from the family Araneidae.
The wasp spider belongs to the group of venomous spiders, but it is dangerous only to people allergic to its venom. Wasp spider venom can cause serious allergic reactions that require lengthy treatment with antibiotics and steroids. Bites are painful, comparable to a hornet sting. If untreated, they can result in tissue necrosis.
Wasp spiders arrived in Poland relatively recently from southern Europe. Initially, they were seen only in the Oder River basin, but they soon spread throughout the country. They favor wet forests, meadows and roadside grasses. However, they are increasingly found in cities. They are distinctive because their yellow-and-black abdomens resemble a wasp's coloring.
The spider was transported by municipal police officers from Jelenia Góra to a shelter for small animals.
SM Jelenia Góra/ii