Mail Online News Spider Eggs In Banana

## **I found eggs of the world deadliest spider in my Tesco bananas - and had to incinerate the vacuum cleaner after using it to clean them up:**

* Abby Woodgate, 30, found **deadly** spider eggs in her Tesco bananas.
* Brazilian wandering spiders are the most venomous in the world.
* The bananas were delivered from the store in Highwoods Square, Colchester.
* Pest control told her to burn anything that had touched the eggs.
* One bite from an adult spider carries enough venom to kill 225 mice.
* At least 14 people died from bites until an antidote was found in 1996.

By Jenny Awford For ***Mail Online***.

**PUBLISHED**: 09:04, 8 September 2014 | **UPDATED**: 14:31, 8 September 2014.

*** Abby Woodgate, 30, from Colchester found tropical spider eggs in a bunch of Tesco bananas .
* She first thought the bananas had mould on them after noticing a white lump, but when she poked it with a toothpick, a cocoon opened.
* One bite from an adult Brazilian wandering spider carries enough venom to kill 225 mice.
* The bananas were delivered from the Tesco store in Highwoods Square, Colchester, to her home.
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A mother who found eggs of the world deadliest spider in a bunch of Tesco bananas had to incinerate her vacuum after using it to clean them up.

Abby Woodgate, 30, was told by pest control experts that she would have to burn anything that had come into contact with the Brazilian wandering spider eggs, as the arachnids are highly venomous.

She first thought the bananas had mould on them after noticing a white lump when they were delivered to her home from the store in Highwoods Square, Colchester.

But when she poked it with a toothpick, a cocoon opened, revealing dozens of tropical eggs.

She immediately threw the fruit in the bin, but a few eggs dropped on her kitchen floor, which she vacuumed.

'*I couldn't believe it when the little cocoon opened.`*

*`I thought it was just some mould and I was trying to get it off so I could use the rest of the bunch,'* Mrs Woodgate said.

'*Even when I saw what was in it - it looked just like frog spawn - I still didn't think the worst.`*

*But then it dawned on me and I jumped and threw them in the bin.'*

The *mother-of-one* called the Tesco store, which had delivered the shopping to her home and she was told someone would collect them.

But she then received a call to say pest control experts would be round instead.

**Mrs Woodgate said:**

'*The pest controllers asked where the eggs were and I told them the bin and they said 'right, we'll take that'.*

'*Then they asked had anything else come into contact with the eggs, and I told them about my vacuum cleaner, so they said 'we'll have to take that too'.*

*`All they could tell me is they thought they were tropical spider eggs.'*

It is not yet known exactly where the eggs came from and what species of spider they belong to.

Spider experts have told her it was unlikely the tropical eggs would hatch because it was not warm enough in the UK and there were no adult spiders with them.

They also said it was not absolutely necessary to fumigate her home.

**Mrs Woodgate said:**

'*That's good news, but I'm still on the lookout for anything about the place.`*

*`If I see one, I've been told it's safe to squash it, as you might do other spiders.`*

*`My husband is better at that, so that'll be his job.`*

Tesco has offered to replace her bin and the cleaner.

**A spokesman said**:

'*We set ourselves high standards for the food we sell and were concerned to hear of this incident.`*

*`We've offered Mrs Woodgate a gesture of goodwill and will be asking our supplier to investigate.`*

*`Tesco sources bananas from Brazil, Costa Rica, Equador and Colombia, home to some of the world's most venomous spiders.`*

*`A Tesco store in Kent was forced to close for several hours in November last year after a Brazilian wandering spider was found under a box of bananas.`*

### **JUST HOW DEADLY ARE BRAZILIAN WANDERING SPIDERS:**

The Brazilian wandering spider appears in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's most venomous spider.

Their Greek name ***Phoneutria*** actually means `***murderess***` - an indication of their deadly bite.

They are known as the wandering spider because they do not build webs, but instead walk the jungle floor at night looking for prey.

Brazilian wandering spiders are nocturnal, and so find places to hide during the day.

This is why they are so dangerous, because they hide in houses and cars, where they are easily disturbed by humans.

They may be considered the most toxic spider, but they are not the biggest.

Their *leg-span* reaches up to five inches.

When the spiders are defending themselves, they lift their body up on their hind legs in a defensive display.

Bites have killed 14 people until an antidote was found in 1996.

The venom causes extreme pain and inflammation, loss of muscle control and breathing problems, resulting in paralysis and eventual asphyxiation.

The spider's bite can cause an unwanted erection in men, sometimes lasting for four hours.