Bloke Finds World’s Deadliest Spider In His House

A bloke claims to have found the world’s deadliest spider, which can jump 16 inches and whose venom can kill, inside his home in Brazil.

Picture shows the Brazilian wandering spider (Armadeira), undated. It was captured by firefighters inside a house in Vitor Meireles, Brazil, on Saturday, March, 4, 2023, the animal was about 10 centimetres long and was returned to nature in a remote area with no nearby residences. (@bvsc.vitormeireles/Newsflash)

The unnamed resident of the municipality of Vitor Meireles, in southern Brazil’s Santa Catarina State, called his local volunteer fire department after he found the 10-centimetre- (four-inch-) long creepy-crawly inside his home on 4th March.

He did not know what kind of spider it was, but the volunteer firefighters asked a biologist, who told them it was a Brazilian wandering spider, also known as an armed spider, from the genus Phoneutria.

Biologist Christian Raboch of the Jaragua do Sul Environmental Foundation says the spider has deadly venom and can jump up to 40 centimetres away when it feels threatened.

Luckily, the volunteer firefighters were able to catch it and release it in a remote area without hitch.

As the genus commonly appears close to forested areas, Raboch recommends residents properly seal the cracks around their windows and doors.

Local officials recommend that spider bite victims wash the bitten area with soap and water, seek urgent medical treatment, keep the bitten area lifted up, use a warm compress, and, if possible, take a photo of the spider so the species can be identified.

The Vitor Meireles Volunteer Fire Department said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: “On Saturday, 4th March, around 12.40pm, a local resident contacted one of the volunteer firefighters in the municipality of Vitor Meireles to identify a spider species that he had found inside his home.

Picture shows the Brazilian wandering spider (Armadeira), undated. It was captured by firefighters inside a house in Vitor Meireles, Brazil, on Saturday, March, 4, 2023, the animal was about 10 centimetres long and was returned to nature in a remote area with no nearby residences. (@bvsc.vitormeireles/Newsflash)

“However, after analysing the photos and consulting with biologists, the arachnid was identified as the genus Phoneutria, better known as the Brazilian wandering spider.

“This species is considered the most lethal in the world, with the action of the neurotoxic toxin affecting the nervous system.

“Extremely aggressive, the Brazilian wandering spider assumes a defensive position by raising its front legs and jumping up to 40 centimetres away.

“Its body length can reach four centimetres, with a leg span of 15 centimetres [six inches].

“In terms of venom action, it is even more venomous than other known lethal spiders on Earth, such as the black widow, the brown recluse spider, and the funnel-web spider.

“In our region, it is most commonly found in banana trees.

“We can emphasise that the two most lethal spiders in the world, the Brazilian wandering spider and the brown recluse spider, are found in our region.”