are spiders dangerous?

Question

why are a lot of people afraid of them?

Answer 1

Sure, they can be. A few are even deadly to humans. But I think the real cause of our fear is simply their look. It brings up images of deep dread in about 62.8% of humans around the world.

Answer 2

Arachnophobia is the scientific name for the fear of spiders.

Arachnophobia is, in many cases, the result of a traumatizing encounter with spiders in one's early childhood, though the experience may not be remembered.
Fear of spiders has a long history, around the time of Christ's birth parts of Abyssinia were abandoned by the whole population as a result of a 'plague of spiders'.
An evolutionary reason for the phobias, such as arachnophobia, remains unresolved. One view, especially held in evolutionary psychology, is that sufferers might gain some survival edge, by avoiding the dangers. Spiders, for instance, being relatively small, don’t fit the usual criteria for a threat in the animal kingdom where size is a key factor, but many species are venomous, and some are lethal.
There are over 40 000 species. All but about 150 species of spiders can inject venom to protect themselves or to kill and liquefy prey. Only up to 200 species, however, have bites that can pose health problems to humans. Many larger species' bites may be painful, but will not produce lasting health concerns.

Young people are more likely to accept spiders as just another fascinating animal if given the chance.
I suspect a part of arachnophobia is a result of our adult alienation from the beauty of the world, and it is a fact that most serious sufferers are middle aged and older. It is also a fact that 9 out of ten recorded suffers are female.

Answer 3

Arachnophobia is a specific phobia, an abnormal fear of spiders. With an estimated half of all women, and a quarter of all men in the United States[citation needed], it is among the most common of phobias. The reactions of arachnophobics often seem irrational to others (and sometimes to the sufferers themselves). People with arachnophobia tend to feel uneasy in any area they believe could harbor spiders or that has visible signs of their presence, such as webs. If they see a spider they may not enter the general vicinity until they have overcome the panic attack that is often associated with their phobia. They may feel humiliated if such episodes happen in the presence of peers or family members.

The fear of spiders can be treated by of the general techniques suggested for specific phobias.

Arachnophobia is, in many cases, the result of a traumatizing encounter with spiders in one's early childhood, though the experience may not be remembered [citation needed]. An evolutionary reason for the phobias, such as arachnophobia, claustrophobia, fear of snakes or mice, etc. remains unresolved. One view, especially held in evolutionary psychology, is that sufferers might gain some survival edge, by avoiding the dangers. Spiders, for instance, being relatively small, don’t fit the usual criteria for a threat in the animal kingdom where size is a key factor, but many species are venomous, and some are lethal. Arachnophobes will spare no effort to make sure that their whereabouts are spider-free, hence reducing sharply the risk of being bitten.

The alternative view is that the dangers, such as from spiders, are overrated and not sufficient to influence evolution. Instead, inheriting phobias would have restrictive and debilitating effects upon survival, rather than being an aid. For example, there are no deadly spiders native to central and northern Europe that could exert an evolutionary pressure, yet that is where the strongest fear for spiders began, suggesting cultural learning. In contrast, many non-European cultures generally do not fear spiders, and for some communities such as in Papua New Guinea and South America, spiders are included in traditional foods.

Answer 4

The worst possible thing an animal species can do is get on the human fears list. I've never understood this fear of spiders. I'm often scooping them up on a piece of paper and putting them outside on a tree or something when they're in danger of another person's foot.

Answer 5

Poisonous ones yeah! We've got Redbacks in OZ - on this western side anyway - and they will kill a small child or an elderly person or a weakling (weighing 98lbs lol) - you have to be really careful not to stick your fingers in dark dry holes!!!! The Daddy Longlegs is REPUTED to be the most poisonous but its fangs are so soft (and small I think) that they cannot penetrate human skin except POSSIBLY on the webbing between the fingers.

Knowing this - people are afraid of them due to conditioning! And scary movies!!

Answer 6

"Although spiders are often unpopular, the venom of most species is not very toxic to humans, usually resulting in no more than a slight swelling, inflammation, or itching sensation. Most spiders’ fangs are too small or weak to puncture human skin. Spiders usually will not attempt to bite unless accidentally trapped against the skin or grasped, although some species actively guard their egg sacs or young.

Spiders are beneficial predators that reduce pest populations (flies, crickets, mites, etc.) in and around homes, yards, gardens, and crops. Wholesale destruction of spiders should be avoided."

See more info. at the link below. Cheers!

Answer 7

some spiders are dangerous because they are poisonous but they say most are not aggressive... I am afraid of them always have been they are creepy looking... make my skin crawl

Answer 8

only certain spiders are dangerous but most of the dangerous ones... the ones that are poisonous... live in the wilderness or forests and places like that. but evryday house spiders are not dangerous, however if you see a blak widow either kill it instantly or just let it be they have a poisonous bite.

Answer 9

yes they are! i dont like spiders, i know that the common house spider is no match to my size 10 foot but i still recoile in terror of the sight of them, its our mind playing with us again.

i just dont like the thing they do when you spot them running across the floor, they just stop dead! why? then you enter into the game of when you look a why is leggs it for two feel then you looks back and back to the dead stand off again! WHY NOT TAKE A CHANCE A SPRINT THEM LAST TO METERS TO UNDER THE TV!!!

Answer 10

Remember a tonne of spiders is a tonne of spiders..now if a tonne of spiders drops on your head it has to be dangerous does it not ?

I guess that is why the fear of them is irrational.