Black Widow spider

Black Widow spider - A man in southern France has been hospitalised with blood poisoning after being bitten by a Mediterranean Black Widow spider.

The man from Sainte-Marie-la-Mer in the Pyrénées-Orientales was given a “shock” antibiotic treatment and has since made a full recovery.

The Mediterranean Black Widow is one of the most dangerous - if not the most dangerous - spiders found in France. 

It is black, with thirteen yellow or red-orange spots on its back, and can be found near fields and crops, and in areas with long grass.