Some of the most amazing of creatures. (Spiders in General)

Member Name: CokaCola

Product:	Spiders in General
Date:	26/10/09 (49 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Interesting, Long term residents (interesting to watch over a period of time)

Disadvantages: Cobwebs that build up, but these can be cleared, just don't kill the spider!

I often find it very difficult to understand that typically fanatical arachnophobia that is so commonly seen, not just in domesticated teenage girls, but in grown men and women. It is often plain to see why the younger members of the family have developed their fear (as a result of parental influence). Spiders are extremely remarkable animals, simple, but well designed and it always saddens me when someone resorts to killing one just because it is a spider.

Spiders seem particularly prone to attracting a response of fear in their observers. Perhaps this is because of the way they look, having a tiny little body and massive legs - they have an "alien" quality to them. I suppose in some of the more tropical climates in our world, people are probably scared that spiders are going to kill them too - but we don't have that problem in Britain, at the moment in any case.

These creatures are useful to us! They eat the flies that buzz around in our gardens and homes, which are far more of an annoyance. What's the point in destroying the spider's web in the corner if you're only going to replace it with a dangling yellow strip of glued fly paper, that becomes plastered with corpses.

At the university halls where I currently reside, there is an incredibly large spider that I have named "old timer". He's your typical common garden spider, with a large round abdomen and short little legs. Actually quite colourful. I'm calling him "he", but actually, I suspect it is a female. This spider builds the most glorious large web above a hedge, which is constantly being destroyed by drunken students. Every evening when I come home, the web is partially destroyed, and every morning when I leave, the web is perfect again. This spider has become part of my evening/morning routine, and it would sadden me if so ignorant moron where to simply kill a creature that has survived so well under the challenges of nature. I hope she passes on her genes to the next generation!

I think people forget that spiders are totally harmless. You have to think that your fear is irrational! If a spider lands on you, it's not going to do anything. It doesn't secrete any kind of substance that will mess up your clothes and leave a trace. It simply scurries around, looking for somewhere safe to take refuge, preferably away from you. Even if you have a spider down your jumper, just pull the bottom of your jumper out and flick the little creature out. It's harmless!

People should spend more time educating themselves about the 80,000 different species of spiders that exist on this planet. Did you read about the vegetarian spider that they recently discovered? Fascinating. Spiders are amazing creatures, and deserve a lot more respect than they unfortunately currently recieve.

Summary: Arachnophobia is a totally irrational fear.