Maine shipyard gets a load of black widow spiders in shipment

BATH, Maine (AP) - A Navy shipbuilder in Maine says it had to fumigate a warehouse and part of a warship because a shipment of parts from California contained about two-dozen venomous black widow spiders.

Bath Iron Works employees discovered the arachnids in a crate containing vertical launch system components. Spokesman Jim DeMartini said Tuesday that the discovery led to the fumigation of several compartments in the USS Michael Murphy, a destroyer that's under construction. A warehouse in Brunswick also was fumigated.

DeMartini said the spiders were discovered earlier this month. The shipyard is confident that exterminators eliminated any spiders that weren't stomped.

Black widows are not found in Maine but are found in California, where the shipment originated. The females are known for their distinctive hourglass marking and their bite can be lethal.

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