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Ballard family finds black widow hidden in grapes

Posted by Geeky Swedes on January 5th, 2009

Yikes! A Ballard family says they discovered a black widow spider in a bag of red grapes they bought at our neighborhood Fred Meyer. “I was washing the grapes with my hand and saw something crawling around,” Iris Hagemann told SeattlePI.com. The family captured the spider and took it to Woodland Park Zoo, where it’s getting a new home in Bug World. And believe it or not, apparently it’s not incredibly uncommon for people to find black widows in grapes harvested from Southern California. (Thanks Boxcar for the link!)

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  • kim
    where were the grapes from? chile?
  • Geeky Swedes
    We just added that they came from Southern California...
  • kim
    sounds the housewives of beverly hills. one that needed to get away!
  • Maika
    Wow, freaky! I'd head about people encountering spiders in their produce, but was never sure it wasn't simply urban legend material along with the spiders that lurk under toilet seats. How cool that they took it to the zoo. Not sure many people would have the presence of mind to do that, myself included.
  • candice.
    I'd freak right the f out!

    Spiders make me turn into a 3 year old.
  • boardbrown
    candice, especially the deadly ones!
  • gooner
    i am glad my wife doesn't frequent myballard.com. if she saw this she may never pick up any fruit at the market again.
  • BlackSheep
    I might not, either, Gooner!

    Deadly or no, I'm in preschool with Candice when I see a spider.

    And yes, I do realize it's silly.
  • silence.kit
    I would have beaten that spider to death several times. At no point would I have thought, "let's take it to the zoo!" I would have killed it, over and over again.
  • BlackSheep
    Silence.kit, my hero.
    Once is NOT enough when dealing with a spider.
  • boardbrown
    My wife wouldn't have killed it. She'd have screamed bloody murder until I came in and killed it for her.

    It's the little things like that which make me feel useful around the house...(sigh).
  • Vlad T
    I think those grapes were from Transylvania.
  • homeless dude
    Another example of Californians coming to our state and ruining things for everyone.
  • candice.
    boardbrown: you can come kill my spiders too... my husband's a bit scared of them, but if he has to he'll squish 'em for me. But only if he HAS TO.
  • BlackSheep
    My husband just gives me that look. You know the one.

    And he wonders why I love the cat best.
  • leavinglasballard
    another reason to buy local...
  • Fnarf
    Yeah, the Ballard-grown grapes are delicious this time of year.
  • Judy
    Has anyone ever heard the stories about the trantulas coming in with imported fabrics?
  • candice.
    Trantulas?!

    Oh dear God... !!!
  • Nubbee
    Back in Maryland where my folks are, someone found a snake sewn into the lining of a jacket.

    Nooooo thank you.
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