A mishap he will remember. French artist Woodkid, who has collaborated with major international stars such as Kanye West and Katy Perry, recounted on his Instagram account that he was bitten by a violin spider during a trip to Seattle, in the western United States.
This species of spider, whose bite complications cost the lives of two people in Italy this summer, is present in several countries around the world, including the United States. It is also possible that Woodkid confused the violinist spider with the brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa), a spider from the same family that is only present in the United States.
“End of the road trip. Fiddler spider 1 – Woodkid 0,” the singer-songwriter, producer and graphic designer wrote in an Instagram story posted Friday. He then posted a photo of his arm, hiding the bite mark, which he claims is quite substantial.
“My leg should be fine.”
Originally from the Lyon metropolitan area, Woodkid, whose real name is Yoann Lemoine, wanted to reassure his 300,000 Instagram followers: “I’m fine,” he assures. “My leg should be fine and I’m going back to Paris tomorrow to get treatment.” Before returning to France, the artist claims to have received his first treatment in the hospital where the hit series “Grey’s Anatomy” was filmed.
The fiddler spider is recognizable by its reddish/sandy color and its long, thin legs. Its body is slightly larger in females than in males (7.5 mm versus 7 mm) and its wingspan – including legs – generally reaches 4 to 5 cm.