'Deadly spiders' force family from home

[Still Waters]

A woman and her seven-month-old baby were forced to vacate their home for more than three days after hundreds of tropical spiders were found in a banana.

Gemma Price, 30, was mid-mouthful of the banana when she made the discovery.

Pest controllers, called in by Asda where the fruit was bought from, told Ms Price they were possibly Brazilian wandering spiders.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-39783948

[Future ghost]

Well, bananas are officially off my menu. Nope.

[UFOwatcher]

Well, I love bananas but have wondered if anything was lurking in that part where they are joined together. I'll be more careful and perhaps whack that part off.

[BeastieRunner]

39 minutes ago, UFOwatcher said:

Well, I love bananas but have wondered if anything was lurking in that part where they are joined together. I'll be more careful and perhaps whack that part off.

Worst thing I've had was fruit flies and they ate my cactus, too.

Spiders that are deadly? Pass!

[Dr.Brian]

Strangely, this happened from an Asda banana in September of 2016 and prior to that in 2014 also in the UK. Research from the 2016 story states that these types of wandering spiders are not harmful to humans at all. Although no tests were conducted on any spider found the debate raged on from the "erection" type of Brazilian wandering spider to the most deadly type. These spiders are also called banana spiders and are all over the Caribbean and South America. I was in Jamaica a few weeks ago and photographed a few that were around a garden area we toured. Those types were big and could bite, but did not have venom and were said to be the most common variety. I did research when I came home and found many stories like this that are blown out of proportion because of the types of spiders related to the common non-venomous type. These are the types that hang out in trees and with fruit like bananas (which are plants, not trees). It's like seeing a house cat and assuming it's a lion. Wait, that happens a lot as well...

(2016 story)

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/brazilian-wandering-spider-deadly-allegedly-found-asda-bananas-a7321206.html

[MJNYC]

26 minutes ago, Dr.Brian said:

Strangely, this happened from an Asda banana in September of 2016 and prior to that in 2014 also in the UK. Research from the 2016 story states that these types of wandering spiders are not harmful to humans at all. Although no tests were conducted on any spider found the debate raged on from the "erection" type of Brazilian wandering spider to the most deadly type. These spiders are also called banana spiders and are all over the Caribbean and South America. I was in Jamaica a few weeks ago and photographed a few that were around a garden area we toured. Those types were big and could bite, but did not have venom and were said to be the most common variety. I did research when I came home and found many stories like this that are blown out of proportion because of the types of spiders related to the common non-venomous type. These are the types that hang out in trees and with fruit like bananas (which are plants, not trees). It's like seeing a house cat and assuming it's a lion. Wait, that happens a lot as well...

(2016 story)

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/brazilian-wandering-spider-deadly-allegedly-found-asda-bananas-a7321206.html

Thank you.  Calmed me a bit!

[Totah Dine]

2 hours ago, BeastieRunner said:

Worst thing I've had was fruit flies and they ate my cactus, too.

Spiders that are deadly? Pass!

I hate fruit flies with the heat of a thousand suns.  Every harvest we have had fruit flies invade the house and they are soooo hard to get rid of.  Plus, i had diabetics in my family and for some reason the fruit flies would swarm them.  They carry bacteria on their feet that reacts to skin and the contact is painful.  It was described to me as being similar to a mosquito bite.  The flies would crawl into their nostrils and ears when they slept.  They are terrible pests.  They are almost impossible to get rid of.  bug spray doesn't help. It just speeds up their reproductive cycle.  The only thing I've found that works are traps that have raw apple cider vinegar or fruit inside to draw them in.  

Now that I'm older and subsistence farming is a thing of the past I make sure I get any fruit or vegetable out of the house the moment I feel it's overripe.  grrr!!!!   

[HandsomeGorilla]

1 hour ago, Dr.Brian said:

Strangely, this happened from an Asda banana in September of 2016 and prior to that in 2014 also in the UK. Research from the 2016 story states that these types of wandering spiders are not harmful to humans at all. Although no tests were conducted on any spider found the debate raged on from the "erection" type of Brazilian wandering spider to the most deadly type. These spiders are also called banana spiders and are all over the Caribbean and South America. I was in Jamaica a few weeks ago and photographed a few that were around a garden area we toured. Those types were big and could bite, but did not have venom and were said to be the most common variety. I did research when I came home and found many stories like this that are blown out of proportion because of the types of spiders related to the common non-venomous type. These are the types that hang out in trees and with fruit like bananas (which are plants, not trees). It's like seeing a house cat and assuming it's a lion. Wait, that happens a lot as well...

(2016 story)

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/brazilian-wandering-spider-deadly-allegedly-found-asda-bananas-a7321206.html

I have to correct you on this. All spiders, with the exception of a few dwarf species, are venomous. You're correct, however, that the venom from "Brazilian Wandering Spiders", while still very toxic, can be a bit overrated. They belong to the genus Phoneutria, which is comprised of five species, but only two have been linked to human fatalities. They bite tons of people but deaths are exceedingly rare. Still, they're nothing to be messed with.

Now, on the other hand, there are a number of other wandering spider genera - Ancyclometes and Cupiennus, namely - that occur in the same areas, have the same habits and often look quite similar. These spiders, while still possessing venom, are absolutely no threat to humans. A bite will hurt, but they're not considered medically significant. 

Which spider showed up in this particular shipment is anyone's guess due to the lack of a decent picture, but both types have indeed shown up in fruit and plant shipments. Without proper ID from a professional they can be difficult to tell apart, so someone without experience should never attempt to handle them. 

Edited May 2, 2017 by Not Your Huckleberry

[BeastieRunner]

45 minutes ago, Totah Dine said:

I hate fruit flies with the heat of a thousand suns.  Every harvest we have had fruit flies invade the house and they are soooo hard to get rid of.  Plus, i had diabetics in my family and for some reason the fruit flies would swarm them.  They carry bacteria on their feet that reacts to skin and the contact is painful.  It was described to me as being similar to a mosquito bite.  The flies would crawl into their nostrils and ears when they slept.  They are terrible pests.  They are almost impossible to get rid of.  bug spray doesn't help. It just speeds up their reproductive cycle.  The only thing I've found that works are traps that have raw apple cider vinegar or fruit inside to draw them in.  

Now that I'm older and subsistence farming is a thing of the past I make sure I get any fruit or vegetable out of the house the moment I feel it's overripe.  grrr!!!!   

I've done the fruit juice, soap, vinegar/apple cider vinegar, too. Only thing that worked.

[glorybebe]

We have lots of pipers where we live.  We keep tea tree oil in the house.  We put it around all the doors and windows.  When it is wet and cold out, we put it in  water on the stove and steam the house.  They really don't like the smell.  

[glorybebe]

We have lots of spiders where we live.  We keep tea tree oil in the house.  We put it around all the doors and windows.  When it is wet and cold out, we put it in  water on the stove and steam the house.  They really don't like the smell.  

[Trihalo42]

Hide the deadly black tarantula
Daylight come and me wan' go home

[Sundew]

I have to wonder with all the tropical fruit imported into Florida from South America, Mexico, Central America and so forth, if we do not already have some pretty nasty insects and spiders that are as yet undetected? We already have many established exotics in S. Florida due to the mild climate. Most studies concentrate on the larger animals: reptiles, mammals like the Gambian Rat, parrots and so forth. Take a visit to the parks in the Miami area and you can see all kinds of exotic reptiles and birds. I would suspect many insects and arachnids are already here but are either generally harmless or have simply gone unnoticed so far.

[HandsomeGorilla]

6 minutes ago, Sundew said:

I have to wonder with all the tropical fruit imported into Florida from South America, Mexico, Central America and so forth, if we do not already have some pretty nasty insects and spiders that are as yet undetected? We already have many established exotics in S. Florida due to the mild climate. Most studies concentrate on the larger animals: reptiles, mammals like the Gambian Rat, parrots and so forth. Take a visit to the parks in the Miami area and you can see all kinds of exotic reptiles and birds. I would suspect many insects and arachnids are already here but are either generally harmless or have simply gone unnoticed so far.

You guys now have the Mexican Redrump Tarantula in South Florida, also. The only tarantula species east of the Mississippi River. 

[Future ghost]

20 hours ago, UFOwatcher said:

Well, I love bananas but have wondered if anything was lurking in that part where they are joined together. I'll be more careful and perhaps whack that part off.

That will only break open their cocoon of doom.

[clare256]

Found spider eggs in a bunch of grapes once. I inspect my fruit a lot more carefully now.

[JAKKALS911]

Sorry, but spiders and I do NOT see eye-to-(their 8) eyes. My house is not big enough for both spider and myself, and no prizes for guessing who goes and who stays - I have a white mark on my right arm from the bite of a jumping spider many years ago, and this is just a tiny little tyke, but then we also have baboon spiders and golden orb spiders and other nasties like black widows (some may not be venomous) - I don't care a continental whether they are venomous or not - I'm terrified of all arachnids, whereas I can handle snakes - and have often caught and released them into the wild, as snakes are good destroyers of vermin like rats. Nah - spiders and I don't sit next to the same fire...

Edited May 6, 2017 by JAKKALS911

[Matt221]

I once picked up a false black widow to have a closer look the b***** bit my arm I soon put it back down,still got a little colony in the greenhouse though they help keep the real pests down

[Paranomali]

This is what nightmares are made of. I would of burnt my house down

[Princess Serenity]

I hate spiders. *Shutters* Time to buy a new house.