Do you know those small blips of childhood that happen to stick with you? I was probably around seven at the time. Down in the living room, I pulled out my plastic box of LEGOs…and screamed. Among the colorful blocks was a daddy long-legs, also known as a cellar spider, who sauntered out onto the carpet. It was the scariest spider of all time, in my eyes. (Years later, the elementary school curriculum would cover Black Widow spiders and totally change that perception.) The box was quickly shut, and nothing was constructed that entire month. So, if you’ve faced similar traumas, you might not even want to picture spiders hanging out in your fruit bowl.
That’s exactly what happened to a woman from Connecticut, who actually found a Black Widow spider in her batch of grapes. Even though it wouldn’t be a shock if she passed out then and there, it turns out that the whole situation wasn’t as terrible as you may think. Spiders are attracted to fruit that isn’t sprayed with pesticide, meaning that those grapes likely weren’t treated with chemicals. Spiders are also used in fields to help control pests. As you know, they’re big fans of feasting on other bugs.
Not to scare you even more, but that wasn’t the only Black Widow sighting in fruit as of late. A few days ago, a woman in Nebraska happened to find two in her bag. So if you ever needed even more incentive to wash your produce before you eat it, there you have it.
Suddenly that daddy long-legs seems a lot less intimidating.
Even though a spider sighting means you’ve got quality fruit, it can still be quite scary to have such a majestic and important — yet creepy and venomous — little guy in your house. Just remember to try your best not to disturb it. They’re not as aggressive as you think, and only bite when they feel threatened.
