Why You Should Never Kill A Spider In Your House
Perhaps your irrational fear of spiders makes you think that a timely slipper is the best solution to keeping your home safe. These little creatures, however, do more for their environment than you think and deserve a second chance. Before killing a spider in your home, read why you should think about protecting it.
The Spider’s Importance in Your Home’s Ecosystem
Many think of their home as a kind of sterile bubble isolated from the outside world, into which nothing can penetrate without the consent of the residents. However, there are many species to which our environment is attractive and who live in perfect symbiosis with us, whether we know it or not.
Many spiders just want to spin their web in a corner of our basement, to feed and live quietly without anyone bothering them.
These spiders usually catch flies and other insects in their web that “bother” us more than these little tenants happy to do our dirty work. For example, a type of jumping spider is used in Africa to hunt potentially disease-carrying mosquitoes.
The vast majority of spiders you will encounter in your home life are not dangerous unless you live in Australia or in jungle areas. A team of North Carolina scientists conducted a study of 50 families to classify the different arthropods that might be found in a conventional home.
The most common spiders found in these houses were the spiders of the Pholcidae and Teridiidae family . Both species are dedicated to weaving their webs to wait patiently for their prey to be trapped. They normally don’t move from there unless they’re hunting other spiders.
Why should we ignore our fear and let the spiders live
It’s normal to be afraid of spiders, especially considering that many of them bite and some can even be lethal. However, as demonstrated by the aforementioned team of scientists, most of the spiders you will find in your home are harmless and can even help you get rid of unwanted insects.
Most spiders prefer to avoid human contact. Having identified the species you should avoid for your safety (such as the black widow or tarantula, for example), keep in mind that the others are harmless and deserve to live in peace in your bedroom or garage.
The best option for both, if their presence bothers you a lot, is to pick them up carefully and release them in nature, or simply outside your home. After the initial shock, you’ll be grateful that you decided not to squash them inconsiderately.
