Peruvian wolf spider laid EGGS in my toe on my wedding anniversary cruise: Brit reveals pus oozed from his purple foot in French hospital… before one spider tried to EAT its way out
- Colin Blake was bitten while he and his wife were eating outside
- Have you had a holiday from hell? Email james.callery@mailonline.co.uk
A Peruvian wolf spider laid its eggs in a man’s toe while he was celebrating his wedding anniversary on a cruise.
Colin Blake, from Cramlington, Northumberland, revealed pus oozing from his purple foot at a hospital in France before a spider tried to eat its way out.
Colin was celebrating his 35th wedding anniversary on a cruise holiday in France when his toe turned purple overnight.
Terrified, he rushed to the ship’s doctor and discovered that a Peruvian wolf spider had bitten him and laid eggs in his toe.
He was bitten while he and his wife were eating outside in Marseille.
Peruvian wolf spiders live in France after arriving in the area on cargo ships.
Colin Blake, from Cramlington, Northumberland, was bitten while he and his wife were eating outside in Marseille.
Colin’s toe while in hospital in France. He said medical staff cut his toe with a scalpel and milky pus came out
He told BBC Radio Scotland’s Drivetime show that he was “completely unaware” he had been bitten as the spider stunned its prey before laying its eggs.
He said: ‘My wife thought it might be because I had new sandals and they were rubbing my big toe and making it red.’
The next day his toe had become swollen and purple, prompting a visit to the ship’s doctor.
The medical staff cut open his toe with a scalpel and milky pus came out.
The pus looked like it had tea leaves in it, which turned out to be spider eggs.
Colin’s lying hospital in France. He said: ‘My wife thought it was because I had new sandals and they rubbed my big toe and it turned red.’
Peruvian wolf spiders live in France after arriving in the area on cargo ships (File Photo)
Back in Britain he was treated in hospital and given a course of antibiotics to reduce the swelling.
Once the swelling subsided, the spider’s fangs could be seen, as well as the venom working its way through its foot.
Four weeks after the bite, he discovered a ‘foreign body’ in his foot.
He said: ‘One of the spider eggs was not rinsed and must have hatched.
“They think the spider wormed its way out and ate its way out of my toe.”
The antibiotics had killed the young spider and doctors then removed it by cutting open its toe.
“I did ask if I could keep it, but they said no!” said Colin, who is on the verge of a full recovery.