Two venomous spiders, one with a 3 1⁄2-inch leg span, were found this week in a shipment of granite and flagstone from Brazil.
One of the spiders was captured in a shipping container Monday. Customs and Border Protection agents were able to seal the container, which was being offloaded. That spider was turned over to entomologists with the state Agriculture Department.
On Thursday another spider was found in a second container from the same shipment and was killed by a worker unloading the container. The spider was destroyed to the extent it could not be positively identified, but the worker looked at a photo of a Brazilian wandering spider, or phoneutria, and said the spider he killed looked the same. The second container was sealed and quarantined.
The Ag Department’s Plant Quarantine Branch is working with the importer to have the containers shipped back to Brazil, according to a news release.
"This incident emphasizes the importance of coordinated efforts between federal and state inspection agencies in preventing invasive species from entering Hawaii," said Scott Enright, chairman of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture. "We each have our own inspection areas and duties, but communication is key in protecting the state."
The Brazilian wandering spider is found in most areas of South America but is not established in North America. It is considered one of the most venomous spiders in the world and can have a leg span of 5 inches, the state said in its press release. Its venom can cause increased blood pressure and heart rate, vomiting, blurred vision and intense pain where the bite occurs.
Instead of using webs, the spider wanders for insects, other spiders, lizards and small rodents to eat.
Suspected invasive species should be reported to the state’s toll-free pest hotline, 643-7378.
