Spiders! Boo! Did I scare you? Well, according to My.ClevelandClinic.org, 3% to 15% of the US population has bad arachnophobia. I mean, a small creature with eight legs and eight eyes is pretty freaky! It's showcase in multiple media that spiders can and will harm you! For example, the movies like "Eight-Legged Freaks" or "Jumanji" (1995) show unrealistically large spiders that try to kill or attack the protagonists in the films. The spiders in "Eight-Legged Freaks" were much more successful in killing the humans...but can spiders actual kill you!? Short answer is no. Most spider species produce venom through their fangs after biting down, but it's less harmful to humans. One of the most venomous spiders in the world is the black widow, it's common that most people are afraid of widows because it's be spread around they kill! In reality, News.Fullerton.Edu writes, out of the " 1,015 cases of black widow spider bites recorded in 2018, there were no deaths." Most spiders' fangs are too small and short to pierce through human skin or their venom isn't strong enough to harm people. If you were to get bit by an unknown spider, it's still best to seek medical attention as some bites can cause sickness.
Tarantula bites feel like a bee sting when bitten, but it's rare to get bitten by any spider. Furthermore, I own two tarantulas myself which I've had for almost a year now, neither have bitten me! Instead, it's common for spiders to curl their legs up, protecting themselves if they feel threatened. Trust me, spiders are much more scared of humans! One of my tarantulas, Duke the Texas brown tarantula, gets frighten when I simply open the lid of his tank to give him more water.
Spiders actually help people in more ways than we can think! Some of spiders' venom is used in certain medicines, spiders influence different cultures, kill off pests, eat other spiders, and more. The best thing about spiders is they kill even grosser bugs like cockroaches. To continue, a sign of a spider living in your home is a sign you have bugs! It's important to realize how special spiders are to us and our planet! They keep species in check with their populations and have cultural influence (without spiders we wouldn't have Spiderman!). To conclude, spiders aren't a threat to humans, when you see a spider, there's no need to kill it. Admire the critter and put it back outside (if it's in your home) or leave it alone if you see it outside.
(Sidenote: If you have any questions about spiders lmk in the comments! I've been researching about them for a few years now! - Dakota :D )
Hi Dakota! As someone who is TERRIFIED of spiders, I can say that your blog has put me more at ease with them. It was very interesting reading about your experiences with your spiders, I also think that they are pretty cute! Overall good blog, and thank you for making me feel better about spiders!! LOL :D
ReplyDeleteI'm generally not afraid of spiders, I guess it depends on the situation haha. But you are definitely right, media makes spiders seem a whole lot more dangerous than they actually are.
ReplyDeleteHey there Dakota, I really enjoyed this blog! I've always been fascinated by spiders, so much so I even wish their were giant ones. I know the biggest one is the Goliath bird eater. I want to see one so bad but I don't wish to get too close, while they are certainly harmless they are still a little unsettling but I respect them and enjoy watching them! If you are answering questions, what are your thoughts on the Theridion Grallator spider? I've always wanted to see one since I was like eight, the little face on their backs is so cute.
ReplyDeleteHi Dakota ! I have always been so afraid of spiders but I really enjoyed reading your blog. I'm gonna have to remember this the next time I see one and remind myself maybe they aren't as scary as I thought.
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