Curious ElfSpiders are one of the most harmless creatures in the world. They are often portrayed as evil, vile animals that should not be tolerated, but this could not be farther from the truth. Spiders have been around for millions of years, and they play a vital role in our ecosystem by controlling pest populations. To help you understand spiders better, here is some information on their extraordinary lives:
Why do people think spiders are so bad?
Other than being misunderstood, spiders are often feared because people believe they will bite them. However, it is nearly impossible for a spider to bite someone. Spiders use their fangs only on prey and not humans, so the next time you see one in your house or yard, remember this information!
They are spooky
Spiders are often found in dark corners or places where they can be lost easily. They make a quick getaway and disappear before you have the chance to see them up close, so this might lead people to believe that they will attack when someone steps on one of their webs.
They make us jump
Spiders move fast, which makes it difficult to spot them. When people see a spider, they will usually do something crazy like jump or scream, which makes others think that this animal with some kind of power should be avoided at all costs.
They are scary
Spiders have been portrayed as scary animals throughout history and in movies such as “Arachnophobia” and “Spider-Man.” This leads people to believe they are not welcome in the world and should be killed.
How big can spiders get?
Spiders come in all shapes and sizes, depending on their species. Some of the enormous spiders that people might have seen are tarantulas or giant water spiders because they live primarily near water bodies with plenty of food to find. They can be as small as a pea (or smaller) and also grow up to two inches long. This is the primary reason why it can be difficult for humans to spot them without a microscope.
Other spiders are as small as a pea which means they can be found anywhere, and people might not even know that one is around! One of the reasons people think spiders are so bad is that they misinterpret a spider’s intentions or movements. It seems like they want to attack you and harm humans, but in reality, this is not their intention at all!
Spiders go about living their lives as any other animal would: eating food, looking for shelter from the weather, and looking for a mate.
Here is some quick information on how spiders help our environment:
They are prominent to our ecosystem
Spiders eat various other bugs, including mosquitoes, flies, ants, and beetles, which helps to reduce the pests from invading our homes and harming us.
Spiders are important to our food chain
In addition to eating pests, spiders also help break down dead animals and plants that eventually decompose. Without spiders, the food chain would not exist.
Spider webs are protective
Spider webs are designed to catch prey for dinner, yet they also provide a protective barrier around their home, which is beneficial to humans. The spider’s silk has many different uses, such as catching bugs or making nests for animals.
We should protect spiders
We should not kill spiders because they’ve always been important, part of our ecosystem, and help protect human beings from other pests that can be wild and dangerous.
The bottom line
There are many misconceptions about spiders, and the most common is that they are all poisonous. There are only a handful of spider species in North America that can bite humans. Most bites to humans come from either non-native or misidentified spiders who were living with their prey items inside homes where they have found shelter among family members who can’t tell them apart from the “good guys.”
