Are red spiders unusual?

[oceanauk]

Since moving into my new house I've discovered lots of different bugs/spiders/beatles i've never seen before. I have come across so many different types of spiders and one in particular was red, about 1cm across, the colour of a house brick - are these unusal? Also I found a HUGE ant in my kitchen - I"ve seen wood ants before but this was a monster! Are we being invaded??? LOL! Any info anyone?? Many thanks!

[southerngirl]

Hi Don't know about the giant ant, but the little red spiders are very common. They usually run around in groups and generally on brickwork or concrete.

[Goodsoulette]

I dont know if your red spider was like ours but woodlouse eating spiders are smallish and red. I hat spiders so totally freaked when I saw this.

I can open bags of fruit and veg they scare me that much.

[ugly_bob]

red spider 1cm across? never seen one this big. The ones i've seen (usually on pub benches etc) are no bigger than about 1mm across

[n00dles]

Have just viewed this site today, and was most interested in your spider.

Like ugly_bob (I'm sure your not - bob I mean! LOL :o) ) I've seen those teeny weeny red ones. Generally on the outside of the house, running along the brickwork, as pointed out by southerngirl.

But a red one that size!! Generally its a warning to other insects that it is poisoness....but I don't know enough about spiders, to state exactly that...

Would like to know, if you ever find out what it is/was.?

[pauld40]

sounds like a wood louse spider

[vhm]

http://lancaster.unl.edu/enviro/pest/factsheet s/spiders.htm

Here is a web site with a picture of a wood louse spider. I just saw one for the first time today. I believe this is what you saw also. My was very red in color.

[oceanauk]

Hi I've looked up the woodlouse spider and yes that is the one!! It has pinchers which are hard enough to pierce through a woodlouse's shell!! Eeewww!! Who'd be a bug!! Still you learn something new everyday. Thank you for everyone's responses!!