Published 15:48 IST, March 11th 2020
UK man discovers deadly Brazilian wandering spiders coming out of banana
A man from Droitwich, Worcestershire was left horrified after he found a bunch of deadly spiders on a banana he bought from Lidl, a supermarket chain in Europe.
- World News
- 2 min read
A man from Droitwich, Worcestershire was left horrified after he found a bunch of deadly spiders on a banana he bought from Lidl, a supermarket chain that operates across Europe. According to media reports, the man named Nick Southam, who is an engineer by profession spotted a strange lump on a banana he was about to eat. The sac suddenly popped and dozens of spiders started limping out of it.
As per reports, Nick quickly managed to capture one of the spiders on his phone and sent it to iSpot, a specialist website that helps in identifying wildlife. The website later informed Nick that the spider was identified as a potentially deadly Brazilian wandering spider, also known as Ctenidae, a species known for having a highly toxic bite. According to Nick, most of the spiders in the sac were dead because of the unsuitable weather condition, however, some were still very much alive and walking.
Brazilian wandering spiders
As per reports, the Brazilian wandering spiders can grow to have a leg span of 13 to 15 cm and their body length can range from 17 to 48 mm. The Ctenidae spiders often feed on insects, other spiders, and small reptiles or mice. The spiders have also acquired their other common name 'banana spider' because it is claimed that they are often found in shipments of bananas.
The bite of the Brazilian spider can cause human beings to show symptoms within half an hour leading to blood pressure and heart rate fluctuations. A bite can also cause abdominal cramping, nausea, hypothermia, vertigo, and blurred vision. It can lead to excessive sweating and the human body can go into shock. There are well-attested instances of death wherein one case a single spider bite killed two children in Sao Sebastiao, a municipality in Brazil.
(Representative image)
Updated 15:48 IST, March 11th 2020
