A supermarket in Austria’s Krems an der Donau was closed after a highly venomous spider was spotted. According to a report by TMZ on Thursday (August 10), the Brazilian Wandering Spider was spotted in the Penny Supermarket on Tuesday, leading to people being evacuated. The supermarket has been closed ever since. The report said that the spider is still on the loose despite an extensive search of the supermarket.
The spider has reached Europe before, usually by hiding in branches of bananas being shipped to stores. During the search, officials at the Penny Supermarket sealed all banana crates.
What is the Brazilian Wandering Spider?
The Brazilian Wandering Spider is one of the most venomous spiders on Earth. According to Live Science, the spider’s bite delivers neurotoxic venom and can be deadly to humans, especially children. The bite can also deliver long and painful erections to human males, and several studies have looked at incorporating venom into drugs for erectile dysfunction.
This spider has been named the world’s most venomous spider multiple times by the Guinness World Records. There are nine species of Brazilian wandering spider, all of which are nocturnal and can be found in Brazil, Live Science says.
How long can the spider get?
As per the Natural History Museum in Germany’s Karlsruhe, the Brazilian Wandering Spiders are large with bodies reaching up to 2 inches (5 centimetres) and a leg span of up to 7 inches (18 cm). Live Science says the species vary in colour, though all are hairy mostly brown and grey, although some species have lightly coloured spots on their abdomen.
The spider found in the Penn Supermarket in Krems an der Donau had a black and red colour.
Source : WION