To be a bit freaked out by this banana ....

[SunshineHQ]

.... was just about to peel it, and then saw this weird cocoon thing growing on it.

Wider family all here, and opinions vary as to what it is ....

Lots of baby spiders? (100s)
Just one big spider?
Something else?

And what should we do? Dad (who lived for a year in Africa) thinks they will very likely be poisonous, and microwave or boiling water?

I haven't eaten a freshly peeled banana in over 2 years, after my cousin posted a video on facebook with a bunch of tiny "things" crawled out of it

Best mnet thread ever! I lived in Brazil for 7 years (northeast, so proper tropical) and we bought bananas from the market and street vendors all the time. Never saw a spider on bananas, never heard of poisonous spiders giving you 4 hour erections - and let me tell you, if a Brazilian man had a 4 hour erection, everyone would know about it. I don't eat bananas here, they taste mnyeugh. I did hear stories there about cockroaches crawling into people's ears at night and laying their eggs in your ear canal, and then the baby cockroaches hatching and crawling around ... I really, really hate cockroaches. Really hate them.

In Australia, where we have very venomous spiders and also grow amazing bananas that are probably exported to Britain, said spiders do sometimes turn up nestling in the bananas in local supermarkets. Not sure if they would survive export, but an egg sac might. I wouldn’t boil it though - I’d be more likely to spray it the banana with fly spray, stick it in a ziplock bag, then pop it in the freezer.

Well after reading this, I decided that we didn't need any bananas when I was doing the food shopping at Sainsbury's earlier.

The reactions to boiling it are brilliant.

A quick Google shows that others have been asked to bin said fruit and sent a voucher for the inconvenience.

I love the idea that all major supermarket chains have a 'banana spider' procedure that must be followed. And the rage from strangers at the prospect of this vital ritual not being performed.

I don't quite know how to break this to you all.....

I have found a webby nest thing on the stem on an apple once, just neatly tucked into the crevice on the top there. I really didn't remember or take too much notice of it, until this thread reminded me.

It was a Granny Smith if it matters....

I just washed it, flicked the webby bit off, and carried on cutting it.

I'm in Africa and never seen that on a banana before. It does like look like a cocoon of some sort. Just throw it away.

I think you may also need to report it at the council incase it's a species not native to the UK. I remember something like that when I lived there. It's so that nothing hatches or enters the UK without there being a record of it or it gets destroyed. (I think)

Did the OP cut the web by thing open to see what was inside after boiling it?

What County are you in OP?
Want to make sure I never order from the same store! 😆😆😆

The boiled cocoon had dried out on our window sill.

I was about to throw it away, but then saw a few people had asked for an update, so I've had a bit of an investigation.

Weird. Is definitely not a load of dead baby spiders. It seems to be one much bigger creature or bug?

@SunshineHQ

Only one thing to do...

i.imgur.com/n1puqXS.jpg

(safe link)

Annnnd that's the last time I ever eat a banana.

Looks like some sort of cockroach type bug, or maybe a giant moth?

At least it wasn't one of these

I wondered about a cockroach type thing (and am very glad it is dead).

It looks similar to a banana moth pupa (which are lethal if you are an Orchid or other indoor potted plant), but too small. Only about 6mm long, whereas a banana moth pupa would be 1-1.5 inches.

Oh for the love of god.
It looks like something the cat coughed up

Bleurgh

Take it to your local university.

I am sure one of the boffins there will have fun working out what it is.

It looks like a little alien