A skincare firm has responded to an internet of rumors claiming that one in every of its merchandise is a magnet for spiders.
It began with a one-star evaluate for Delícia Drench Physique Butter, a moisturizing cream from Sol de Janeiro. The evaluate, posted earlier this month on the web site of magnificence retailer Sephora, warned readers in all caps: “SCENT ATTRACTS WOLF SPIDERS.”
The reviewer implored people who find themselves “terrified of wolf spiders” to “be careful,” as a result of supposedly, utilizing the physique butter would “immediately” appeal to one of many arachnids. (The reviewer additionally described the lotion as “kryptonite” to wolf spiders, though they in all probability meant one thing like “catnip.”)
“One time, the spider wished to eat no matter ingredient it’s so dangerous that it chased me,” the reviewer claimed. “I swear on all the things. I’d run left, it ran left, I ran proper, it ran proper. Prefer it was legit following the scent.”
The testimonial went viral throughout social media, and picked up much more consideration after a Reddit consumer cited a research suggesting that farnesyl acetate and hexadecyl acetate ― two chemical compounds typically utilized in skincare merchandise ― can mimic pheromones from “sexually receptive” feminine spiders.
The Redditor hypothesized that the physique butter would possibly comprise these elements, which within the “proper dosage” might appeal to male spiders searching for mates. The Reddit consumer added that they didn’t really know whether or not the Delícia physique butter incorporates these compounds.
On Friday, Sol de Janeiro tried to place the arachnophobia to relaxation. In an announcement posted on its Instagram Tales, the corporate mentioned its merchandise don’t comprise any of the elements that might purportedly appeal to spiders.
“Whereas they might appeal to a whole lot of consideration from folks, they received’t from arachnids (despite the fact that we love all creatures at Sol de Janeiro),” the assertion mentioned.
Spider specialists additionally say that even when the product did have these elements, it in all probability wouldn’t grow to be irresistible to wolf spiders.
“It’s HIGHLY unlikely that the pores and skin cream firm by way of random probability mixed sufficient issues in simply the best proportion to imitate a spider compound,” Dr. Floyd Shockley, chair of the Smithsonian Nationwide Museum of Pure Historical past’s Entomology Committee, informed The New York Instances in an e-mail.
And Dr. George Uetz, a professor of organic sciences on the College of Cincinnati, famous to the New York Publish that farnesyl acetate and hexadecyl acetate haven’t been proven to draw wolf spiders, however different species of spider.
North American wolf spiders eat bugs, and are sometimes between 1 / 4 of an inch and an inch lengthy (not together with their legs). Whereas they might chew if “mishandled or trapped subsequent to the pores and skin,” their bites don’t pose any severe medical points, in accordance with info from Pennsylvania State College’s agricultural extension.