The Massive Venomous Chilean Spider Infestation That Was Mysteriously Found In A Popular Museum 60 Years Ago Cannot Be Eradicated

Spider infestations can take form within any type of structure, including immaculate museums located within the Arctic circle where venomous spiders are not supposed to exist. As long as spiders can access proper shelter, they can survive in just about any climate. For example, for the past 65 years, the Finnish Museum of Natural History in Helsinki has been infested with a seemingly infinite number of venomous spiders that should only exist within their native continent of South America. Despite early efforts to eradicate this venomous spider infestation, the spiders remain within the museum (and maybe surrounding structures) to this very day.

Since 1963, the Finnish Museum of Natural History has been inhabited by Chilean recluse spiders that can only be found underneath rocks, within tree-holes and other obscure locations within South and Central America. Given the naturally reclusive nature of this aptly named arachnid, it’s a wonder that several specimens ever arrived in Helsinki at all. There have been some rare incidents of exotic spiders from South America arriving in Europe, North America and elsewhere within shipments of agricultural goods, mainly sweet-tasting fruits. However, Chilean recluse spiders are not drawn to fruit or anything else that may be shipped thousands of miles away across the Atlantic Ocean.

Seven years after the venomous spiders were discovered in the museum, pest control professionals attempted to eradicate the infestation. Despite removing all spiders from every corner of the museum, more would come forth to replace them, but nobody has yet figured out where they are hiding. Some have theorized that a shipment of apples or even wood chips from South America brought the spiders into the museum, but there exists little evidence to support either of these theories. Past experiments have demonstrated how resilient these spiders can be when put into harsh conditions. One experiment saw Chilean recluse spider females surviving for well over a year without sustenance. One single female specimen even lived for a total of 755 days without food or water. These spiders also reproduce in large numbers, but what is most troubling is the fact that Chilean recluse spiders are the most venomous of their genus, as their bites cause tissue necrosis and their venom can be deadly once it reaches the bloodstream. In the years since the venomous spiders first appeared in the museum, a vast network of access tunnels leading to other structures have been constructed below the museum. This has given the spiders easy access to other structures around Helsinki.

Do you think that conditions in Helsinki are too harsh to allow this spider species spread into other structures in the city?