Why do so many people hate spiders more than other insects?
I think people hate spiders for many of the same reasons people hate anything – namely, that they know very little about them, and make huge assumptions based off of what little they do know. For instance, many people know that certain widows and recluses possess toxic venom, so people assume most spiders are toxic. It’s simply not true. Non-web weaving spiders usually are quick, and this puts people off. I also think the presence of a spider nearby usually comes as such a shock because people tend to see them only when they’re right on top of ’em. As far as legs are concerned, what really is the difference between six legs and eight? Maybe the chelicerae (fangs) frighten people. I can’t really buy the hairy thing, butterflies are hairy and the vast majority of people find butterflies decidedly not scary. I personally think spiders are fascinating creatures, beneficial in many ways. They are a great friend to gardeners, they exhibit some strange and sometimes beautiful traits (like sex
