Some of us do not mind spiders, the one above looks quite friendly, and growing up (and even now) if we had a larger house spider we would always nickname it Fred! I’m really not sure how that tradition started but I can still remember the children, and now the grandchildren, calling the larger house spiders Fred!
For those who are not keen on them perhaps ‘we should learn to love them’ – because big spiders aren’t as scary as you may think!
Here in the UK, it is that time again where you might start to see more spiders appearing in your home – and they may look bigger than before!
Right now it’s ‘spider season’, which happens every year – just like the leaves falling.
Some people find spiders a bit scary, but is there really that much to fear?
Dr Sara Goodacre, spider expert at the University of Nottingham, gives more details about our eight-legged friends and why they appear to be so big right now.
Why are there more spiders at this time of year?
Dr Sara says that the number of spiders doesn’t actually increase in autumn – it’s just that we might notice them more because they’re bigger and come indoors.
According to Dr Sara, “spiders become adults at this time of year, and that’s why they’re bigger than before”. She says that it’s actually “a good thing” that we see lots more bigger spiders in our homes, as it’s “a sign that spiders are healthy and everything is as it should be in the world around us”.
“House spiders might be running round, but that’s only because they’re looking for mates or trying to find a dark space to be in. Spiders are quite good at sprinting, but they get tired quickly, so they’ll often just sit once they’ve found a safe place.”
Are spiders scary?
Whilst it’s a matter of opinion, Dr Sara does lots of research on spiders and says there’s nothing to worry about when we see one indoors.
“One key thing to know, especially if you’re nervous around spiders, is that they’re not dangerous in the UK.”
Dr Sara says that we should “treat a spider more like a butterfly” if we find them in our home, and be curious about it.
“First, give it a name! Then have a look at it from a distance. Does it have markings on its legs that look like stripy socks? If so, that means it’s one type of house spider, and if not, it’s a different one.”
There’s lots of spider species that can change depending on where you live in the UK.
“Spiders are incredible creatures”
Dr Sara is part of a team who are working on copying the silk that spiders use to create webs and catch insects, so that it can be used to help humans out in other ways. There’s research underway to use spider silk to help human cells regrow, as well as using it to release antibiotics in cells to treat people who are unwell.
Smaller spiders are also able to “fly” by using their silk to make mini sails with which they can catch the wind. Dr Sara says they can travel up to 70km in a day by doing this!
Sara says that “spiders are beautiful and creative… I really think they do have superpowers!” She says, that as spiders “stop insects we don’t want from eating the crops that we grow for food, we’re in real trouble if we lose that balance”.
So maybe it’s time to look at these creatures a little bit differently!
… and if you want to take your mind away from spiders …
sit down with a cuppa and enjoy a slice of
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All the best Jan
