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Redback spider scare at Japan’s Osaka Expo sparks safety warnings
Dozens of the highly venomous pests have been found at the expo since April, with a nest now being uncovered in a public space
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Visitors to the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 in Japan have been warned to be on alert for redback spiders, following the discovery of a nest in a public area and more than 70 sightings since April.
It marks the latest in a string of setbacks that have plagued the high-profile international event since its launch, from bomb scares to power outages.
In a notice posted on the organiser’s website on Thursday, visitors were urged to report any sightings of the spiders – easily identified by the distinctive red stripe on their backs – to expo staff, and were advised not to try to catch the creatures themselves.
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Pest control specialists have been called in to exterminate dozens of spiders found in off-limits areas, but a wider warning has now been issued after a nest containing eggs was discovered on a table being used by visitors on September 9.
“Redback spiders live throughout the prefecture,” Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said in a social media post.
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