World's Deadliest Spider Found Wandering in Tulsa Grocery Store

Posted: March 18, 2009 08:26 AM CDT

Updated: March 18, 2009 11:03 AM CDT

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Found At Tulsa Store

An employee at Whole Foods Market found a Brazilian Wandering Spider wandering around in their produce section.

By Jennifer Loren, for News9.com

TULSA, Oklahoma -- The world's deadliest spider was found in a Tulsa grocery store this week.

An employee at Whole Foods Market found a Brazilian Wandering Spider in their produce section.

The store handed the spider over to biologists at the University of Tulsa who say that employee is lucky to be alive.

Terry Childs is the director of TU's Animal Facilities and a self-proclaimed spider lover. Childs' department is now home to a Brazilian Wandering Spider. It's being kept in a terrarium with a do not disturb sign. More people die from the spider's bite than any other spider in the world.

"Within minutes you will have breathing problems, you'll start to lose control of your muscles, you'll start to drool and within 20 to 25 minutes you'll probably collapse on the floor and die of asphyxiation," said Terry Childs.

And, that's why he says people at Tulsa's Whole Foods market are lucky to be alive.

On Sunday an employee found the spider wandering across the bananas in the produce section.

"She managed to capture it in one of these containers until I got there," said Terry Childs.

Apparently the spider, also known as the banana spider, hitched a ride on some bunches of bananas all the way from Honduras. It turns out it is the kind of thing that happens all the time, but this particular spider is more threatening than most.

"This particular one happens to be one of the most aggressive ones I've actually come across. This thing will actually jump at you," said Terry Childs.

A manager at Whole Foods wouldn't talk on camera but said they check their produce for insects. In fact, he said, that's how the world's deadliest spider was found in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

"There is an antidote for the bite of this spider. Unfortunately I don't think we have any around here," said Terry Childs with the University of Tulsa.

The spider will not stay at TU for long. It will likely be taken to another university for research.



Kat

I can't stand spiders! Have you heard of the camel spider?

I hate spiders. We have the brown recluse spider in my state.

{{{{Winx}}}}



I got bit by a Brown Recluse 2 years ago, under my left arm. It was horrible.

The Dr. never really treated it, I did everything for myself...

I have also been biten by a brown recluse. It made a hole the size of a tennis ball in my leg, beside my knee. It was close to two inches deep. I had to have the rotten stuff removed every other day and have whirlpool treatments on it. Much meds in and out of the actual sore, for a couple of months. The scar is about as big as a golfball now. It isn't pretty. But, beautiful compared to what it was.


I am going to be much more careful about getting bananas now.
Kat

I was bit by one on my knee several years ago. I had to drag myself across the floor for a few weeks, because I couldn't walk. Lots of pain....I thought my leg was going to fall off. Couldn't afford a doctor so I took care of it myself.

I was bitten also. It was in my arm pit. My father has had two bites, in two different years, on the back of his thigh. He's had two surgeries for those bites. He has a hole in his thigh now. I was lucky. I have no scars.

Your doc didn't treat it? Why? My Dad and I found out that they don't always know what caused it. My first doc said it was a razor burn. The 2nd doc recognized it for what it was. My Dad had to get two opinions also. He ended up with the general surgeon.

My Dad only had surgery to remove the dead tissue. No whirlpool treatments. He had the meds too.

I've seen a lady with half her tricep cut out. Another lady, a police officer, had a large part of her thigh removed. The police officer thinks she got it from inside of her car when working by the river (Mississippi). My Dad suspects the same thing - parked by the river.

I'm going to be checking bananas, too, now!!!

I already shake out shoes that I've not worn for awhile. Those dang recluse spiders like to hide.

Yikes! Did you not get any dead tissue?

I have been bitten twice as well. The other one was caught very early (only because I had already been bit)It only needed meds to clear it up along with a shot of cortizone in it. OUCH!!!!! iT IS A VERY SMALL SCAR. The other one...the really big one? When it was cleaned out the first time...it was this giant gapping hole! It made me sick to see it. Gives me shivers even now. We think I was bit the first time in bed. The second time was when I was cleaning out around and underneath the house foundation.

The bad ass spider is the one in the bananas. I don't even want to know they exist.

Kat

ya, i have been bit two times by one !
thought i was going to die !!!!!!!!!!!!

Page 4 shows the progression of recluse bites. And they're saying that the spider in the bananas is worse and they jump at you.

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/brown-recluse-spider-bite

Yep, you're in Missouri too. I was bitten in Warrensburg, MO. My father was bitten twice in St. Louis. A bf of mine was bitten raking leaves are stirring things up around his garage in St. Louis, MO. There are two circle shaped scars - like a vampire bit him. The surrounding area is all puffed up - scar tissue.