Spider Myth Resources
Explore even more! Additional spider resources and more myths (poor spiders can't catch a break!).
Photo: Cathy Morris/Burke Museum
Photo: Cathy Morris/Burke Museum
Myth: Deadly spider under toilet seats
Illustration: Henry C. McCook
Illustration: Henry C. McCook
Myth: A deadly, exotic spider has been found lurking under toilet seats in airports and airplanes.
Fact: This urban legend began in August, 1999 as a deliberate Internet hoax, disguised as a news story. The original version refers to a spider allegedly called Arachnius gluteus, or South American Blush Spider (literally "butt spider"). Nothing mentioned in the story is genuine; there is no such spider, no such airport, no such medical association, no such doctor, no such restaurant, and no such aeronautics board.
In October, 2002 a new version of the same hoax surfaced. This one mentions a real species, the south Asian jumping spider, Telamonia dimidiata, but it is still a hoax. A jumping spider is one of the least likely to be found in such a situation; they are sun-lovers, and none are more than mildly toxic to humans. This version resurfaced in 2011.
