An Austrian supermarket has been evacuated after the store manager reportedly spotted a banana-loving spider capable of causing permanent erections in men.
The Penny shop in Krems an der Donau, 45 miles west of Vienna, remains closed since Tuesday over fears of the four-inch black and red spider.
Emergency services were called and warned that the spider, still at large, may have been a highly venomous Brazilian Wandering Spider, known to reach Europe by hiding in bunches of bananas.
An exterminator has been called and the banana crates in the store have been sealed, but reports say the shop will likely remain closed until next week.
A spokesman for the Rewe retail group said that ‘comprehensive cleaning and disinfection measures’ are now underway to prepare the store for reopening.
But authorities added that: ‘Despite an extensive search, no spiders have been found to date.’
The size and colouring of the ‘unidentifiable’ spider led authorities to believe it was a Brazilian Wandering Spider, capable of emitting a deadly neurotoxin.
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. The spider’s venom is even being studied for use in erectile dysfunction treatments after it was found that a bite from one of the spiders can give male victims a painful four-hour erection.
