Urgent UK Warning: Venomous South American Spider’s Egg Sac Found in Aldi Bananas
Shopper Finds Venomous Spider Egg Sac on Aldi Bananas
A Scottish shopper received an alarming surprise when she discovered a spider egg sac—likely from a South American Acanthoctenus spider—on bananas bought at Aldi in Montrose. Pauline Smith, 51, noticed silk and leaf debris on the fruit while loading her groceries into her car. Upon closer inspection, she spotted the egg cluster.
[Image: Pauline Smith holding the bananas; caption: Pauline Smith found the egg sac on Aldi bananas in Scotland.]
Curious, the St Cyrus resident examined the sac under a microscope at home, snapping photos and discovering a crushed hatchling. She speculated some eggs had hatched earlier. Smith then shared images with a spider identification Facebook group, quickly receiving feedback pointing to Acanthoctenus—a genus of arboreal spiders native to Central and South America.
[Image: Close-up of the egg sac; caption: The silk-wrapped eggs were likely laid by a tropical spider.]
While the British Arachnological Society agreed with the identification, experts clarified the spider poses no danger to humans. The venomous Brazilian wandering spider, a relative, was ruled out. “These small spiders build nests on bananas for shade and to hunt fruit flies—not to eat the fruit,” explained Paul Hillyard, a former Natural History Museum curator.
[Image: Brazilian wandering spider; caption: The deadly Brazilian wandering spider is a distant relative but far more dangerous.]
Smith kept the affected banana in a sealed container but ate the rest. She expressed fascination with the discovery, calling it a “rare chance to study nature,” though she lamented the mother spider’s wasted effort.
Aldi reiterated that foreign pests on produce are “extremely rare,” citing washing processes to prevent such incidents. The retailer assured customers the spider species is harmless.
[Image: Microscope view of eggs; caption: Smith found a squashed hatchling under magnification.]
While unsettling, the incident highlights the unpredictable surprises hidden in global food supply chains—and the resilience of curious minds like Smith’s.
