Common Spider Myths.

Or... Things people tell me about Spiders which aren't true.

1. Spiders eat flies.

I've never ever seen a spider eat anything.  I've seen flies caught in their traps, and I've seen them wrap their corpses into little packages of death- but I've never seen one eat.  I pose the question- Why, if they eat flies, do they live in houses where there are LESS flies? Why do house spiders hunt on floors and ceilings instead of making traps against open windows or better yet, why not live OUTSIDE where the flies live? I put to you that they have no interest in eating flies, and are hunting an altogether BIGGER prey.  What are they surviving on? Do they feed on skin cells? Who knows.


2.  Spiders are more scared of you than you are of them.

This is false TWO FOLD. 

Firstly, I have a phobia.  This scientifically means my fear is irrational- however I prefer to say that my physical reaction is irrational, but my fear is actually based on the FACT that these are evil creatures. I doubt you would find a spider with an equal amount of fear than I have of them.

I have yet to find a spider PHOBIC of humans.  As an arachnophobe I seek to be AWAY from Spiders. Spiders seek ME. Spiders do not avoid human company, they use our homes, our beds, and our freaking handbags for their evil deeds.
Spiders have tried to reach me throughout my life.  Much like dogs- they either smell fear, OR they're pissed because I've intelligently worked them out and they wish to harm me by making me a target. I involuntarily come in to contact with spiders far more than most of my peers.


3. Spiders can't fly.

I've seen this happen.  A spider flying through the air, with no web line attached to it.  I watched it... and I KNOW what I saw. Also, Daddy Long Legs look ALOT like Spiders with wings and I reckon they're an adaptation.


 4. Spiders aren't intelligent.

Wrong again. 

They hunt.  They build highly complicated traps and fishing lines of webs.  I've even seen one stop in front of a closed door. Stop. Lower itself, and crawl under the door, only to stop the other side.  What was it doing in those few paused moments? THINKING. It was thinking, and it knew to lower its legs and crawl under.  Intelligence. They think, they know, they have eight eyes for fucks sake.  I honestly believe they know who is aware of their intelligence and who isn't, as I'm pretty sure I've been targeted by them for years now.
Similarly, some have learnt how to travel the globe via banana crates, and laying eggs into imported fruit and vegetables.


5. Spiders are harmless.

They can bite, sting, eject irritant hairs into the eyes of "predators", some can kill.  A creature which is harmless, wouldn't provoke centuries of myth and folklore surrounding its evilness.  Spiders are associated with the occult, with evil (see LOTR Trilogy), fear and repulsion (see Greek myth- Arachne). I'm pretty sure they're capable of mass structures to ensnare humans- you've only got to take a look in my Dads shed for evidence of this. 


I'm happy to dispel further myths if readers think of any. Take note.