The Spider...and the Grape: The TRUTH behind the headlines

by Phil Lempert

Just in time for the holidays comes the story that seems to be creating fear in us all -- men, women and children alike! Two Boston area families find Black Widow spiders in their supermarket bought California packed grapes.

Yeech!

Unfortunately the reports of millions of pounds of meats and poultry contaminated with Ecoli or Salmonella just don't seem to faze us any more. But when a story about a spider, three 3-year old triplets and a supermarket makes the headlines...it even makes the first hour of the TODAY Show!

Here's what you need to know:

1. The story is REAL. Both Boston area families found Black Widow spiders in their grapes. These follow three similar incidences in England, New Zealand and Columbus, Ohio.
   
   
2. WHY GRAPES? As part of the move to more sustainable and safe agriculture, many grape growers in California are now using spiders (not Black Widows) as a natural method to rid their crops from insects. It's these other human-safe insects that presumably have attracted the Black Widows.
   
   
3. Black Widows feed primarily on insects (mostly beetles and roaches) and other arthropods -- not humans or grapes.
   
   
4. The Black Widow's venom IS 15 times more lethal than a rattlesnake's -- however -- spiders inject such a small amount of venom that bites are typically not fatal in healthy adults. Children under 6, adults over 60 and anyone with immune deficiencies are at greater risk. Their bite can cause abdominal pain similar to appendicitis as well as pain to muscles or the soles of feet.
   
   
5. Black Widows are nocturnal creatures -- the cold or a refrigerator will not necessarily mean that they will be sluggish.
   
   
6. Black Widow's are NOT aggressive -- however it will bite instinctively if touched, poked or pressed (and why would you want to do that anyway?). Typically they stay hidden in their webs.
   
   
7. Inspect grapes carefully in the supermarket. Look for irregular webs that are coarse and lack a definite form or shape. If you see a web, do NOT touch the grapes, notify a store clerk immediately.
   
   
8. If you are bitten -- remain as calm as possible, try to collect the spider (for positive identification later) and get medical attention immediately.

As we push (as we should) producers and supermarkets to reduce the amount of chemical insecticides and pesticides that are being used on our produce, we can expect to see more insects. Make sure that you wash your produce carefully and with a drop of white dish soap to a quart of water. I highly suggest that you also wear rubber gloves just as a safety precaution when first handling and washing produce. All produce is susceptible to insect or arthropods infestations -- especially as we are now buying more organic produce and shopping at farmers markets. Inspect your produce carefully when you buy it, when you wash it and before you take a bite.

The good news is that the odds are you will never see a Black Widow in your grapes...