Eight-Legged Lies: How Misinformation Warps Our View of Spiders

As a recovered arachnophobe, I am very familiar with many of the ridiculous spider myths. Spider myths can stem from their appearance, nighttime habits, and the fact that some of them are venomous. To dispel some of the rumors, I interviewed Dr. Jerome Rovner about a few of the myths. An expert in the biology of spiders, Dr. Rovner provided some insights on these eight-legged creatures, and I learned some more about spiders that might just replace fear with fascination.

1.) Swallowing Spiders In Our Sleep

This is probably the biggest myth about spiders. The myth usually states that in a year, you will swallow eight spiders in your sleep. There are different variations of this myth, but the claim of swallowing spiders is the same. In reality, we rarely swallow spiders in our sleep, if at all. “The truth is we do not swallow any spiders while sleeping,” Dr. confidently states.

When it comes to humans, spiders are indifferent. Imagine being a small creature and coming up to a big, snoring, rolling log. I am not sure what would make someone think they would want to be in a bed, much less jump into a mouth. Maybe one of the biggest reasons why a spider would venture into a bed is because of a potential food source, or if it is in an area where humans spend little time. Most spiders prefer seclusion to avoid predation and to hunt undisturbed. So, for a spider, a bed is probably the last place they would want to be.

2.) Female Black Widows Eat Their Mates

Just like many spider myths, this is another one that I believed before looking more into spiders. The behavior of female black widows eating their mates is mostly reported in lab settings (where the male cannot escape) and rarely occurs in the wild. There are several species of black widows, and only a few are reported to have this behavior in natural settings.

3.) Spiders Are Dangerous

Though almost all spiders are venomous, they typically use their venom to subdue their prey. Dr. Rovner adds, “Of the world’s [more than] 52,000 species of spiders, 99.95% are not dangerous.” Some of the most medically significant spiders that can be a danger to humans are the black widow and brown recluse. And even these two species are more defensive than aggressive. They typically only bite when they feel threatened.

The issue is that when spiders are portrayed, they are usually the villains. “Hollywood movies usually show spiders attacking humans. They don’t do this,” Dr. Rovner adds. “Spiders only bite defensively (if accidentally pressed against our skin or pushed when in their web).”

4.) Spiders are Insects

Another one of the most common misconceptions about spiders is that they are also insects. Insects have a completely different lifestyle and body compared to spiders. Spiders also lack antennae and wings.

5.) Arachnids are Another Name for Spiders

This myth was one I was not as familiar with until I started researching more about spiders. Spiders are one group within the class Arachnida, which also includes scorpions, ticks, mites, daddy long-legs, and other related groups. Spiders are only one slice of the arachnid pie. Some of the ingredients to be a part of this group are: four pairs of legs, no antennae or wings, and a body usually divided into two sections: cephalothorax and abdomen.

Most arachnids are terrestrial, meaning they live on land. Many species live near water, like the sophisticated stretching spider or raft spider. One species of spider, however, lives its entire life underwater. This species, called the water spider (Argyroneta aquatica), lives in a bell-shaped web. Water spiders trap air bubbles that it carry in their hairs, which they then use to fill the underwater webs.

6.) Relocating House Spiders

Those who consider themselves spider savers take them outside to return them to their “natural environment.” This may seem to many like a moment of grace for spiders. In reality, though this action is intended to save them, this can be a death sentence for a house spider. True house spiders have different sets of conditions that they require to survive and thrive. They are typically only acclimated to the conditions of the homes they live in or around in quiet, moist places near food. Usually, a small percentage of the spiders you see indoors can exist outdoors. These spiders typically spend their entire lives indoors, so the best way to help them is to leave them alone or, if necessary, move them to a houseplant.

7. ) A Daddy-Long Legs is A Spider

There is much confusion about what a daddy long-leg is and whether it is a spider or not. Well, I am here to tell you that the order that most people are referring to as daddy long-legs is not spiders at all. These creatures are usually from the order Opiliones, but can also be cellar spiders or Pholcidae.

8.) Daddy Long-Legs are the Most Toxic Spiders

First and foremost, daddy long-legs, more accurately known as harvestmen, are not considered spiders. These creatures do not construct webs since they cannot produce silk. One of the most common myths about these arachnids is that they have the most toxic venom to humans, when in reality, they lack the glands to even produce it.

The Origins of Fear and Misinformation

When I spoke to Dr. Rovner, he had some ideas on where the fear and misconceptions may come from.

“Fear of spiders can arise during childhood due to the influence of arachnophobes, stories they hear, movies they see, etc.,” he says. “An innate aversion to spiders may possibly play a role in some individuals.”

Before I saw a spider up close, I lived in constant fear of them. Spiders gave me the absolute creeps, and I had no idea why anyone would have them as a companion. With time, and through a closer look with my macro lens, I began to realize these creatures are beautifully intricate and sorely misunderstood.

Reshaping the Web

Interesting topics to reshape the way you think about spiders:

1. REM sleep is considered to be something mostly mammals and birds do, but a new study indicated otherwise. Researchers at Washington University discovered that for jumping spiders (Evarcha arcuata, Salticidae), things might be a little different. Scientists at the university found that when jumping spiders were resting, they exhibited movements such as leg curls, twitches of single limbs, and retinal eye movements indicative of REM sleep. This groundbreaking research highlights that not only do spiders exhibit similar sleeping patterns, but they could also potentially be dreamers, just like us.

2. For us, sound enters through the ear and is transmitted to our brains. Spiders, however, have an advantage. They have an additional layer to their hearing that relies on the vibrations in their webs. We know that spiders use the vibrations in their webs to detect potential prey. Researchers have discovered that by adjusting their bodies through crouching or stretching, spiders tune into different frequencies of sound using the vibrations of their webs.

3. Ballooning is a way for spiders to coast through the air. They do this by releasing silk threads to hitch a ride on the wind and fly. Though the ballooning phenomenon is still being researched, a recent discovery is that spiders use and sense electronic fields to exhibit this behavior.

4. With webs being sticky enough to catch prey, how is it that spiders navigate their webs? Spiders use their branched hairs to help navigate the sticky parts of their silk. Spiders also tiptoe on their webs to reduce the surface area in contact with silk threads. Though not all parts of the web are sticky, this helps them navigate the areas that are.

5. Some spiders have intense courtship rituals. One of the most interesting things to note is the colorful dance of the Peacock jumping spider. Males of this species must dance for their mate and life. If the female does not like his dance, he risks being eaten.

Eight Legs, Endless Lessons

In the case of spiders, we seem to fear what we do not understand. These creatures are more than a Halloween prop for one month of the year. They are mothers, dreamers, and evolutionary wonders. By understanding more about spiders, we are able to see the similarities we share with them. And in turn, I can only hope we make more efforts to protect them.

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