Bad news for arachnophobes, it seems that the nasty spiders that sometimes populate your cozy nest can resist certain attempts put in place to eliminate them! According to an article in The Conversation, those hoping to get rid of a spider by vacuuming are not out of trouble.
Many people panic at the sight of a spider in their home. Asked by Psychologies magazine, Christine Rollard, a teacher-researcher at the National Museum of Natural History and a specialist in spiders, explains that arachnophobia, also known as fear of spiders, is a common phobia which affects 40% of individuals. But in reality, the spider is not as dangerous as you might think.
Belonging to the family of arachnids, this species weaves a web to trap its prey. The spider has often been mistakenly thought of as an insect. But this species has 8 legs, unlike these. In addition, it has no sting and cannot sting. Nevertheless, it has hooks that allow it to bite bees, flies and most insects that approach its silk. Sometimes this arthropod can settle inside a house and cause anxiety among residents.
To chase it out, some people may try to vacuum it, hoping to get rid of it. But an expert in the matter suggests that spiders can survive for a long time in this device commonly used to exterminate them.
The vacuum cleaner: ineffective against spiders?
Knowing that spiders are staying in their own house turns out to be a real ordeal for some people. In order to eradicate them, vacuuming these animals represents for many a judicious solution. But no! Even if the vacuum cleaner can clear them from your field of vision, the problem may persist. The unloved can survive for a while in this appliance and reappear when you least expect it.
Although this beast is said to have poor eyesight despite its four pairs of eyes, it would be able to recognize darkness and light. As a result, she could spot that light from the tip of the vacuum and try to track it, says Kajsa Mellbrand, a graduate arachnologist. In addition, the expert says that a healthy spider, with enough reserves, can survive up to 200 days without food.
A controversial subject
The survival mechanisms of spiders in a vacuum cleaner are controversial and do not lead to an irrefutable conclusion. Indeed, a study in Brazil indicated that brown recluse spiders, which are usually found in homes, did not resist this device. Measuring the effectiveness of a vacuum cleaner in removing 60 male, 60 female and 60 spider eggs, the researchers concluded that the females could survive in a vacuum bag full of dust and debris for just 10 days. In contrast, spider eggs and males died earlier. According to Kadja Mellbrand, although these beasts can survive for several days in a vacuum bag, the suction can be violent and kill them.
Fear of spiders behind a false belief
Specialist Christine Rollard explains that arachnophobia has a cultural dimension. During childhood, parents instill learning and transmit certain fears to their children. It is therefore in education, and more generally, in Western culture, that this fear is registered. Films and the media have also played a role in the development of this fear by proposing terrifying content highlighting spiders.
Generally, these beasts are associated with horror films or reports that are cold in the back. But the specialist explains that in reality, a better knowledge of these animals would improve their image. "The fear of spiders is not related to their dangerousness but more to their appearance," said the specialist, emphasizing a false belief that feeds this irrational fear.
To conclude, Christine Rolland invites us to deepen our knowledge of these animals in order to change the way we perceive them and behave in front of them. For her, they are animals "like the others" that deserve to be appreciated and respected.