Poisonous Spider That Causes Prolonged Erections Forces Grocery Store Evacuation

A poisonous spider that can cause painful and prolonged erections forced an Austrian supermarket to be evacuated Tuesday, according to NÖN.

The incident occurred at the Penny market in the town of Krems an der Donau, about 45 miles from Vienna, per NÖN. The branch manager reportedly spotted the spider crawling out of a box of bananas and alerted the fire service, Mirror reported.

The supermarket began thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting the building Thursday.

“All measures are for safety and are carried out meticulously so that the branch can be reopened,” the owners of the supermarket said, according to NÖN.

Brazilian Wandering Spider, known to reach Europe by hiding in bunches of bananas. The creature is one of the planet’s most venomous spiders, and bites can be fatal after causing hypothermia, blurred vision, convulsions and, in some cases, erections. https://t.co/eDo7uDuL8D

— Sharon K. Gilbert (@sharonkgilbert) August 10, 2023

The spider was identified as a banana spider native to South America and had likely entered Austria as a stowaway in imported bananas, according to NÖN. Its venom could cause high blood pressure, nausea, dizziness and prolonged erections. A toxin in the spider’s venom is what causes long and painful erections, a condition known as priapism, since it boosts a chemical in the body that spikes blood flow. (RELATED: ‘Tiny Frog’ Travelled More Than 3,000 Miles In Banana Shipment)

The banana spider was once reportedly considered the most venomous spider in the world, but it has lost the crown to the funnel-web spider, a native of Sydney, Australia.