Having looked it up on the web (pun) The female Wasp spider can grow to a body size of 2cm with a leg diameter of 5cm, so a bit on the large size for the UK. Males are quite a lot smaller. They have been reported on the South Coast since 1922, and until recently they stayed there, but over the last few years they have been sighted as far north as Cambridge. They do not survive the winter, but the eggs will so colonies don't die out.
They inhabit long grass that is not managed so have probably come from the farm hedgerow at the bottom of my sister's garden. Their food is low flying or jumping insects.
These are appearently harmless although capable of a bite. The name Wasp Spider refers to the black and yellow stripes, not the pain of this bite which at most cauases minor local swelling and itching. In my view not a reason to kill them, as they sit in the web, rather than chase you around for your ice cream.
