Spiders can be scary but even poisonous spiders provide an essential service to humans and the environment by eating bugs. KRWG's Susan Morée spoke with Ashley Byrne, director of outreach communications for PETA, about why we should try to avoid killing a spider, even a poisonous one.
Susan Morée:
Can you tell us, just as a kind of overview, should we be worried about spiders, especially spiders like black widows, brown recluses?
Ashley Byrne:
You know, only a handful of spiders pose any health risk to humans. And even those species rarely bite. Deaths from spider bites are rare. So very often our fear of spiders vastly outweighs the actual danger posed to human beings by spiders. And, you know, I very much understand because I grew up being pretty terrified of spiders myself. So hopefully what we talk about today can help educate people a little in a way that eases their minds.
Susan Morée:
And aren't spiders actually good for the environment, even though they are a little, shall we say, creepy?
Ashley Byrne:
Yes, spiders are essential to their ecosystems. They actually really benefit humans by eating large amounts of bugs that we might otherwise consider kind of a nuisance. They play essential roles in their ecosystems. They are fascinating creatures. Their webs are similar in strength to steel. And they've inspired scientists and engineers for decades. And again, they eat thousands of insects every year. And so if you find a spider in your home, they may be helping you out by really reducing the number of other insects that you're going to encounter.
Susan Morée:
And what should a person do then if they encounter a spider that they think might be a black widow or a brown recluse, for instance? Should they just leave it alone?
Ashley Byrne:
Well, it's certainly fine to escort a spider out of your house. And there are plenty of ways to do that, whether you just go with the old-fashioned cup over a piece of paper, or you can even order a bug catcher. It's a way to catch spiders and other insects without having to get too up close and personal.
Susan Morée:
And what about, you know, I've seen spiders that I think might be a brown recluse, but I don't know for sure. Is there a way to determine? Is there, can you help us out with how to determine if it's a brown recluse?
Ashley Byrne:
Well, a brown recluse has a body that's about half an inch long with long skinny legs and a violin-shaped marking on their face. They have a scary reputation because poison ivy and other injuries are often misdiagnosed as brown recluse bites. But very often they're not. Actually, 90% of brown recluse bites cause mild to no symptoms at all, although it's still best to seek medical attention if you do suspect you've been bitten.
Susan Morée:
And what about tarantulas?
Ashley Byrne:
Well, tarantulas certainly have a look that can be a little alarming to a lot of people.
Susan Morée:
Including me.
Ashley Byrne:
Right, yeah, exactly. And you know, I certainly don't blame anyone for being startled if they spot a tarantula. But people should be relieved to know that while tarantulas are venomous, their venom is generally mild, and it's not considered dangerous to healthy humans. In fact, I believe there have not been any reported human fatalities from a tarantula bite. And, you know, again, they're fascinating animals. They can navigate mazes. Female tarantulas can actually live up to 30 years.
Susan Morée:
Wow.
Ashley Byrne:
So, yeah, so, you know, they really are, you know, complex, fascinating little beings. Certainly, I don't blame anyone for not wanting one, you know, inside the house, but outside in their ecosystems, they have a role to play. And it's best to just leave them alone and let them do their work.
Susan Morée:
And what about scorpions? They can be, they're a creature that we find in the southwest of New Mexico.
Ashley Byrne:
Right. And, you know, you certainly don't want to get bitten or stung by a scorpion. Most stings will cause some localized pain and swelling. However, I mean, all scorpions, again, are venomous, but only a small percentage of the, you know, thousands of global scorpion species actually have venom that could pose a lethal risk to humans. It's much more likely to result in in some discomfort. I mean if you think you've been stung by a scorpion it's still a good idea to seek medical attention but it's likely just going to be more uncomfortable than anything else. And scorpions, again, are very interesting little beings. They actually have a mating dance that they do where they hold their pincers together and kind of dance around when they're mating. And female scorpions of some species actually are pregnant for up to 22 months.
Susan Morée:
Wow.
Ashley Byrne:
And then the mother carries the babies on her back for five to 25 days to protect them. And so, again, I think when you learn about them, they really, they are fascinating creatures, and I think that a lot of us can respect that kind of dedication. So we might prefer them outside, but if they are outside, we should just let them be.
Susan Morée:
And what sort of benefit do scorpions provide to the environment?
Ashley Byrne:
Well, like all spiders, they play an essential role in the ecosystem. You know, every animal, every insect does have an essential role to play in their ecosystem. And, you know, scorpions do eat smaller insects, which again, you know, is in many ways often kind of helping us out. So, yeah, once again, you might not want them as a house guest, but outdoors, they're going about their business, doing what they're meant to do, and we should leave them alone.
Susan Morée:
So we shouldn't see them as an enemy.
Ashley Byrne:
Certainly not. No. You know, again, I'm absolutely not encouraging anyone to, you know, cuddle with a scorpion, but.
Susan Morée:
Yeah, please don't cuddle with a scorpion.
Ashley Byrne:
Right, exactly. That's the advice of the day. But yeah, outdoors, they should just be allowed to go about their business, playing that important role in nature that they play.
Susan Morée:
All right, well, thanks so much, Ashley. I really appreciate your taking the time to tell us all about creepy crawly spiders.
Ashley Byrne:
Certainly, yeah, thank you for having me to chat about it. And again, you know, I hope that learning a few facts about spiders helps make them a little less scary. They do play such an important role in nature. And I think people should always remember spiders are tiny compared to humans and they have so much more to fear from us than we do from them. So if you see a spider, just know that above all, they're probably pretty frightened of you and, you know, the best thing you can do is just put them outside and let them go about their business.
