Family forced to flee home after deadly spiders start hatching out of bananas

Metro.co.uk ^ | November 4, 2013 | Metro

[Boogieman]

They send the Brazilians money, and the Brazilians send them deadly spiders. So THAT is how this “fairtrade” stuff works!

[jocon307]

“I wonder how a Brazilian Wandering Spider ends up in a Columbian Fair Trade banana.”

I guess that’s why they’re called “wandering”.

I say this headline before, I’m just so, so glad this story happened in England. And I’ll keep buying my bananas from the eeeevil capitalist exploiters: Chiquita!

[Uncle Chip]

Did they throw the bananas out????

[crazycatlady]

I’m glad that people here are treating this story with skepticism. I sent it to an arachnologist friend after seeing it on Twitter. He says they may well have been a harmless species. Identifying from photographs is unreliable, and pest control companies are notorious for mis-identifying, either because they really are ignorant or else want to make more money off the customer. Some are ethical, but others leave a lot to be desired. Notice the word “might.”
The vast majority of spiders are harmless to humans, and many are beneficial. Most things that people(and doctors) assume are spider bites aren’t and it usually turns out that the individual didnt see what bit them.

The Spider Myths Site
http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/spider myth/

[crazycatlady]

I’m glad that people here are treating this story with skepticism. I sent it to an arachnologist friend after seeing it on Twitter. He says they may well have been a harmless species. Identifying from photographs is unreliable, and pest control companies are notorious for mis-identifying, either because they really are ignorant or else want to make more money off the customer. Some are ethical, but others leave a lot to be desired. Notice the word “might.”
The vast majority of spiders are harmless to humans, and many are beneficial. Most things that people(and doctors) assume are spider bites aren’t and it usually turns out that the individual didnt see what bit them.

The Spider Myths Site
http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/spider myth/

[crazycatlady]

Sorry, that link doesn’t seem to work, and to add insult. To injury, I accidentally posted it twice.

http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/spidermyth/

[crazycatlady]

That one works.

[skinkinthegrass]

!

[skinkinthegrass]

that's so kewl!
..the strobe is effective.

[ToastedHead]

"Might be Godzilla." (Google Image Search: Gozilla with Banana)

[ifinnegan]

Yes. See! That proves it.

[RichInOC]

“Dayyyyy-o! Day-ay-ay-o! Daylight come and me wan’ go ’ome...”

[DemforBush]

"The couple and their two young children were forced to flee their home after sending a picture of the infestation to a pest control firm – who promptly told the Taylors they might be venomous Brazilian Wandering spiders. "

[GOP Poet]

thanks crazycatlady :).

[outofsalt]

Well, the democrats have infested Virginia from a northern carpetbag.

[JRios1968]

[JRios1968]