Say hello to a little friend from Honduras
Carol Gilbert writes for Associated Content that salmonella and melamine have nothing on the latest grocery store horror – the Brazilian wandering spider (also known as the banana spider) is lurking in the produce aisle. Whatever you do, watch where you put your hands. A trip to the ER due to a spider bite can be more costly than your standard payday loan.
A produce worker in a Whole Foods supermarket in Tulsa, Oklahoma spotted the arachnid, then snared it in a jar. The eight-legged creature was sent to the University of Tulsa’s Animal Facilities Department, where it was positively identified and destroyed. According to Gilbert, department director Terry Childs named the spider “Carla,” after his wife.
Among the most dangerous spiders in the world
The venomous bite of the Brazilian wandering spider can kill a human being in 25 minutes. An antidote to the bite exists, but it is difficult to come by in the United States because the spiders are extremely scarce outside of South America.
The bananas the spider chose to travel with came from Honduras, so clearly it was migrating north. But be aware that they are not particular to bananas. Grapes or any other produce that is packaged in plastic bags with air holes are great places for spiders and other tropical insects to hide.
Not the first spider in the grocery aisle
Gilbert reports that Canadian retailer Quinpool Superstore had an incident back in 2005 where produce stocker Steve Kronski found black widows, yellow sack spiders and banana spiders. The Canadian Food Inspection had prepared consumers well ahead of time, however, warning them that grape bags are choice hiding places for black widow spiders. WalletPop reported that a woman recently found a black widow among the grapes she purchased at a Seattle Costco. The moral of their stories, and any spider story, is to inspect your food carefully and don’t stick you hand in willy nilly without looking.
UPDATE: It seems the Brazilian wandering spider may actually have been a harmless Huntsman spider…
Related Videos:
Sure gives me the creeps. The Brazilian wandering spiders are known to be quite aggressive and extremely venomous. Their toxic venom causes loss of muscle control and breathing problems and could result in paralysis. Some people say they are the most dangerous spiders in the world.
Those things are creepy. There’s a reason why people are afraid of spiders – because you really don’t want to get bit by one. Ick! I hope that thing got squished.
We found one of those where i work. (Grocery store) The produce guy came and got me because I love spiders. I have it in my freezer. It is the size of my palm including the legs..I think they are an awesome spider, just glad it was already dead and not able to bite anyone.
spiders r very dangerous
The Brazilian Wandering spider is one the deadliest spiders in the world yes, but that really depends on what you class as the dealiest, one drop of their venom can kill more mice than any other spider, they tend to roam (being nomadic) which brings them into contact with humans on a regular basis, but the Australia’s male Sydney Funnel Web spider has the venom which is most potent to humans and primates, usually these spiders only come into contact with humans while they are gardening or after heavy rain fall when they move to dryer areas (such as inside the house and in peoples boots. The Guiness Book of Records classified the wandering spider as the deadliest because of those above mentioned reasons.