Venomous spider found in Waitrose shopping 'beautiful but aggressive'

While most spiders scurry away when confronted, the Brazilian wandering spider stands its ground, says David Clarke of London Zoo

Dave Clarke, head of invertebrates, ZSL London Zoo

theguardian.com, Monday 20 October 2014 14.35 BST

The Brazilian wandering spider – which according to reports over the weekend emerged from a South London family’s Waitrose delivery – is one of the most infamous species of venomous spider.

It is actually a very beautiful spider, quite big, with about a 15-centimetre (six-inch) leg span. It is also quite aggressive, and while most spiders run away when confronted, the Brazilian wandering spider might stand its ground and has a particularly impressive stance – it rears up on its back legs and looks quite menacing. If it feels threatened it adopts an “attack first, ask questions later” sort of defence.

The species of Brazilian wandering spider that people tend to talk about are Phoneutria fera and Phoneutria nigriventer, which sometimes come into the UK – mainly because of things like fruit being imported. Accidentally imported spiders such as the one encountered by the family in South London are rare these days, however, because importers tend to clean off the fruit very well. There’s still the slight chance that one might be hidden away in a hand of bananas and get through.

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You call that a deadly spider? Australia's funnel web can kill in 15 minutes

Queensland expert says Brazilian wandering spider found in UK family’s shopping pales in significance beside its more lethal Australian counterparts

Joshua Robertson

theguardian.com, Monday 20 October 2014 04.15 BST

An Australian spider expert has ridiculed reports from the UK of a family discovering the “world’s deadliest spider” in their groceries.

The risk posed by the Brazilian wandering spider paled in significance beside its more lethal Australian counterparts, the funnel web and the redback, according to Dr Robert Raven of the Queensland Museum.

UK tabloid the Mail On Sunday reported that a London couple were shocked to find the spider and a cluster of its eggs in a bunch of imported bananas.

But Raven said the newspaper’s account of 14 deaths worldwide caused by the spider had probably confused it with a number of reported fatalities for either the redback and the funnel web.

Research had linked the Brazilian spider to 10 deaths at the most, which were “highly likely” to be the result of anaphylaxis, or toxic shock, that could as readily have been caused by an ant bite, he said.

The 14 reported deaths each for the funnel web, which can kill in 15 minutes, and the redback, whose venom is even deadlier, exclude anaphylaxis, he said.

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Family of four forced to flee home after finding hundreds of 'potentially deadly' spiders in bunch of BANANAS

Jamie Roberts, 31, had to have his home fumigated after realising the fruit was infested with a spider nest containing hundreds of the creepy crawlies

Yahoo News – Mon, Mar 10, 2014

A shocked family of four were forced to flee their home after finding hundreds of potentially deadly spiders in their bunch of bananas.

Jamie Roberts, 31, had to have his home fumigated after realising the fruit was infested with a spider nest containing hundreds of the creepy crawlies.

Jamie, who suffers from arachnophobia, and his wife Crystal, 30, rang pest controllers who advised them to leave their home in Hednesford, Staffs, immediately.

The couple, along with their two children Georgina, seven, and five-year-old son Joshua, left their home on Feb 24 and had to stay away for three days.

Pest controllers spent 24 hours fumigating their home but the family were only allowed back three days later after the toxic vapours used to kill the spiders had cleared.

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'Deadly' Spiders Found In Supermarket Bananas

A mother has spoken of her terror after discovering dozens of the world's deadliest spiders while eating a banana in her London home.

Consi Taylor told The Sun she noticed a strange white spot on the fruit, which she thought was mould.

But she dropped the banana to the floor after discovering dozens of spiders crawling over the skin.

She told the newspaper: "I thought it was mould but when I had a closer look I saw some funny looking spots.

"I had a closer look and was horrified to see they were spiders. They were hatching out on the table, scurrying around on my carpet."

The 29-year-old took the bananas back to supermarket Sainsbury's and was initially offered a £10 voucher in compensation.

But after sending an image of the creatures to a pest control company, her family were told to evacuate their home as it could be infested with Brazilian wandering spiders.

Guinness World Records in 2010 listed the Brazilian wandering spider as the most venomous in the world.

Sometimes known as the "banana spider", they often hide in banana plants and are found across South and Central America.

They can be extremely aggressive and their venom contains a neurotoxin which triggers loss of muscle control, breathing problems, paralysis and eventual asphyxiation, although there is a common anti-venom.

Sainsbury's has paid for the Taylor home to be fumigated and for the family to stay in a hotel while it was cleaned, The Sun reported.

The supermarket said: "We're very sorry and have apologised to Mr and Mrs Taylor.

"We do have rigorous controls on imported products at all stages - from harvesting to transportation - which is why this is so rare."

http://web.orange.co.uk/article/news/deadly_spiders_found_in_supermarket_bananas