A WOMAN was left in shock after rummaging in the fridge – and finding a dangerous spider.
Beverley Cooper screamed so loud after finding the Indian wolf spider her husband thought she would smash the windows.
The couple, from Glenrothes, Fife, unwittingly brought the creature home in a box of grapes after shopping at a local supermarket.
David Cooper bravely trapped the 5cm spider which was taken away by the SSPCA.
Experts say it is likely the female is pregnant.
The spider, which is believed to have been imported along with the grapes, is not thought to deliver a fatal bite but its venom is described as “nasty”.
Mr Cooper, 60, a former schoolteacher, described the moment his wife, a 52-year-old council worker, discovered their unwelcome house guest.
He said: “I was upstairs at the time, and I thought the windows were going to break her scream was that loud.
“When I got to the kitchen I saw the spider which my wife had found on the wall of the fridge, she had put her hand in and didn’t see it as first.
“As soon as I saw it I knew it wasn’t a normal house spider. It was like a small tarantula.”
He added: “It was quite easy to catch. I thought it would jump at first, but it was quite lethargic from being in the fridge”.
The spider which is believed to have travelled over 6000 miles from India, is now a permanent resident of Edinburgh’s Butterfly and Insect farm, who have discovered it may have not come over alone.
Andrew McDonald, general manager of Edinburgh Butterfly and Insect World said: “We think the spider could be pregnant.
“It is hard to tell with a small spider, but we are pretty sure it is”.
Although the Wolf spider is not believed to be deadly, Animal Rescue Officer Kieran Smart, from the SSPCA said it could give a: “nasty bite”, and praised Mr Cooper for his quick-thinking.
He said: “Mr Cooper was quick-thinking and did the right thing by containing it safely and calling us for help”.
Found all over the world, Wolf spiders venom is not deadly to humans, although it can cause mild pain and swelling.
With a lifespan of no more than two or three years, Butterfly and Insect world, are hoping that they will have new generation of Wolf Spiders for visitors to see in the future. Mr Macdonald said: “We think we will have this spider for maybe 12 to 18 months, but hopefully we will keep the offspring and have another generation.”
Staff at Butterfly and Insect World have revealed they have named the spider ‘Angoor’, which means grapes in Hindi.
