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When a Saline County man contracted a 24 hour bug, he of course wondered what caused it.
His focus soon turned to a newly purchased can of coffee…and a find inside that can supported his suspicion.
Seven-On-Your-Side's Jason Pederson looks into this web of intrigue.
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After Jimmy Thompson spent a full day and night throwing up, he figured it must have been something he ate.
(Jimmy Thompson/Saline County) “The only thing I had had to eat that day was a chicken sandwich and she ate half of that…we both ate the same sandwich. And she didn't get sick.”
So Jimmy started considering things he drank…including coffee.
His wife Brenda noticed webbing in the coffee.
Then she saw the source.
(Brenda Thompson/Saline County) “Then I looked to the right and there were these large, reddish brown eyes looking at me. They were huge. And it looked at me with a certain degree of intelligence.”
The Thompsons did the smart thing and sealed up the can.
How big was the spider inside? Where did it come from? And was it dangerous?
To get answers we took the coffee can to the campus of U.A.L.R. and let tropical biologist Steve Yanoviack take a look.
(Dr. Steve Yanoviack/Tropical Biologist, U.A.L.R.) “There is something that looks like it could be a dead spider right there.”
After careful examination Dr. Yanoviack found only a small wolf spider, common in Arkansas, and not poisonous.
(Dr. Yanoviack) “Wolf spiders have large eyes which are readily apparent so I can understand how the consumer may have thought that they eyes were bigger than they are or the spider itself was bigger than it is just because of the shock value of looking at a spider when it is alive and leggy.”
Dr. Yanoviack doesn't think Jimmy's illness was directly related to the spider and he believes it most likely entered the can after it was opened. The Thompsons still aren't sure, but they appreciate someone taking a look.
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