They’re creepy, they’re crawly, they are sometimes the stuff of nightmares. Fear of spiders is such a common trait that it has spawned dozens of horror movies and an array of products designed to rid our homes of this eight-legged menace. But what if we told you that life without spiders might not be the perfect world arachnophobes envision?
Spider in the ecosystem
Love them or hate them, spiders play a vital role in the world’s ecosystem. A life without spiders means a life infested with other insects. A single spider can eat more than 2,000 insects per year. They consume insects that might otherwise be eating away at your home or wreaking havoc in the agricultural industry.
Flies and mosquitoes (which carry diseases harmful to humans), aphids and beetles (which can wipe out crops), and even moths and crickets would explode in population, putting the world’s food sources at severe risk. A declining bee population is already endangering the world’s food supplies. The double impact of life without spiders and bees could be a doomsday scenario.
Spiders in the food chain
Spiders are also an important link in the food chain. Birds and lizards rely on them for a food source, and other animals consume those birds and lizards. Let’s not forget about spider venom. Many scientists successfully showed that spider venom can be used to treat chronic pain disorders in humans. Now, studies are underway to use venom as a treatment for muscular dystrophy.
As for that uncontrollable shudder you experience upon seeing a spider? It could very well be genetic, a leftover defense mechanism dating back to our prehistoric ancestors. An aversion to potentially dangerous creatures like spiders and snakes would have developed in early man, as each generation evolved from the previous. Since there are still spiders around that can administer a fatal bite, like the black widow or brown recluse, having a healthy respect for these creatures isn’t a bad instinct to possess.
With many spiders finding their way onto the endangered species list, next time you spot a spider in your house consider scooping it up and tossing it outside instead of whacking it with a newspaper. Like it or not, life without spiders would be pretty unpleasant.
Featured Image from Dev Leigh/Unsplash
