- There are many false myths about spiders that have been around for years and are still believed by millions of people. In this article, we have listed five of these false myths that are quite common.
Today, approximately 6 out of every 100 people suffer from arthropod phobia. This rate is not surprising, considering that ridiculous myths that have been around for years are still spreading.
In this article, we will explain the unfairness of the unfounded myths about spiders. Get ready because this article will soften your perspective on spiders!
Myth 1: Spiders are here to bite us
Most people will never be bitten by a spider in their lives. This is because spiders aren’t actually that interested in us. Of the more than 50,000 spider species roaming the planet, very few come into contact with us. Spiders don’t suck blood like mosquitoes or ticks, so they don’t seek us out.
Myth 2: We swallow spiders in our sleep every year
This myth may be by far the most absurd of all legends, but it still has many believers. Over the years, many online forums and publications have claimed that we swallow as many as eight spiders in our sleep each year. But there are no confirmed studies, photographs, collected samples, medical records, or proven observations of a spider trying to enter a person’s mouth.
Spiders want nothing to do with our moist mouths, which open from heavy breathing and snoring while we sleep. “A spider wouldn’t like this at all,” said spider expert Crawford. “The air current will disturb the little sensory hairs they have all over their bodies.”
Myth 3: Spiders lay eggs in fruit
Spiders sometimes hide among bananas, grapes or other fruits to hide from predators. This is because they want to hide their egg sacs.
If this were to happen, these eggs would be visible and would be located on the outside of the fruit. Dimitrov, an expert on spider evolution, says that no spider drills a hole into the fruit and lays its eggs there.
Myth 4: When the weather gets cold, spiders enter our homes through sewers
Some spiders have evolved to live outside and some inside. These different species do not easily meet in the same place. Outdoor spiders living in cold climates have no intention of taking shelter in our cozy homes.
“About 95 percent of the spiders you see indoors have always been indoors,” Crawford said. “That’s where they hatched and grew up,” he says.
Harmless Myth: Spiders are a type of insect
Contrary to what almost everyone knows, spiders are not a type of insect. Spiders belong to a completely different class called “Arachnida”. The class Arachnida and insects are actually as different from each other as birds and fish.
I hope this article helped you change your perspective towards spiders in a positive way. Of course, it is normal to be afraid of these creatures because of their appearance and movements, but knowing that these creatures do not care about us and do not harm us can help you overcome your fears to some extent.
Compiled by: Ömer Kağan Selen
