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Why? Anonymous
So, when a spider runs across my leg when I'm working outside, or I run through a spider's web, I have an involuntary muscle spasm/clawing at myself thinking (GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF!) for about 3-4 seconds. Then, naturally my conscious, cognitive thinking process kicks and I realize the irrationality of my actions.

I mean, I live in a very cold/temperate climate (Maine), so I have really nothing to fear (rationally speaking, it would be the equivalent to freaking out if an ant crawled on me). My father owns a tarantula as well that I allow freely to crawl on me while I do his bi-weekly cage cleaning (I'm home for the summer from college). However, for some reason I have this involuntary freak out when ever a spider enters my personal space without my prior consent.

Anyone else have this reaction to spiders?
>> Anonymous
It's an evolutionary survival tactic

It's natural to be scared of spiders and insects, some of them can kill you with a bite.
>> Anonymous
>>290710
There's only a handful of really dangerous species and most of them live in tropical habitats.
It's questionable if you'll ever meet dangerous one, most insects/spiders are totally harmless.

Please tell me the logic behind your statement.
>> Anonymous
>>290739

We all descended from a group of people living in savannah/subtropical/tropical area. I'm guessing that's what the other anon is basing it on.

However, my personal opinion is this: we are most afraid of things we have not experienced, or did not anticipate, which causes our brain to go into panic mode. Humans never lived in a habitat where there were lots of cobwebs or spiders, nor has it been beneficial to us in the past to accept spiders amongst our environs, and I suspect over time this gets ingrained into our instinct.

It's like monkeys being scared to death of crabs, but being fine with crabs that have wigs stuck on them because they have never ever seen a hairless creature before in their lives.
>> Anonymous
I had this reaction to spiders when I was five.
>> Anonymous
>>290742
I support this, adding a small detail:
There's much bad talk about spiders, worse than they really are, examples can be found even in this thread.
People who heard this stuff for their whole lifetime without having experience in handling them will most likely get afraid of spiders.
It's like humans provoked these fears.
>> Anonymous
simple cure: walk through the woods and get covered in spiderwebs and crawly things a few times. you'll get used to it
>> Anonymous
>>290739
you apparently have never heard of a brown recluse

fag
>> R.D. !!qFhBIHR1ap8
>>290742

It's more like they fear hairless animals, like snakes, which are their natural enemies.
>> Anonymous
>>290760

And I can back this up as I have no actual reason for being afraid of spiders, personally, but I am because I grew up around my mother who is deathly afraid of them herself.

But I make it a point to give them their space, which is outside and away from me. If they're on me or in my house... well, it's not a very good end for them.
>> Anonymous
>>291378
Let's ask wiki about this:
-"As indicated by its name, this spider is not aggressive and usually bites only when pressed against the skin."
-"Actual brown recluse bites are rare."
-"Most bites are minor with no necrosis."

Even if the bite can be deadly in very, very few cases (caused be infections of the affected tissue or whatsoever), the spider's behavior isn't very alarming or threatening.
Can't even compare to Phoneutria nigriventer or Atrax robustus, really dangerous spiders.
>> Anonymous
>>291378
I believe he/she said this "There's only a handful of really dangerous species and most of them live in tropical habitats."

Notice how he/she said MOST of them live in tropical habitats. MOST does not mean ALL.
fag
>> Anonymous
>>290739
Bullshit. I live in Texas and here alone we have black widows, brown recluse, etc...
>> Anonymous
>>291406
When I was 5 years old I played with black widows, I mean really I let them crawl on my hands I picked them up I never got bit. To OP, I have this reaction with ants because when I was 3 years old I was "Sword fighting" with another young boy using Yucca leaves, they are these long hard stick like things with serrated edges around them so we where having a blast, until I slammed my foot down on a hive of red fire ants and they went batshit crazy on the middle of my foot. It hurt for the entire goddamn day. Now whenever ants are on me I freak out. Which sucked because I lived in tucson so every few months an army of ants would try to invade my house for the glory of all antkind.
>> Anonymous
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>>291386
When there is a bite it tends to be...
>> Anonymous
>>290700
Fellow Mainefag, where from? I didn't think others of my kind existed.

UMFfag here.
>> Anonymous
SOME people remember that a venomous bite does not need to be deadly to be FUCKING NASTY, PAINFUL AND OTHERWISE UNPLEASANT.
I for one wish to avoid any bite or sting above a wasp.
>> Anonymous
>>291406
that's two species you just named. Compared to the many, many, species of spiders that is a tiny percentage of them. So yeah, the guy is right about what he said.
>> Anonymous
>>291423
God I hate brown recluse. I found one while brushing my teeth the other day and smashed the crap out of it, put it in a cup of water, then I flushed it down the toilet.
>> Anonymous
The fear of spiders is actually more to do with a fear of violation. Since they are small and fast, the subconscious fear is that they can GET INSIDE YOU which freaks you out no matter how much you try to rationalise it consciously
>> Anonymous
>>291423

This pic is fake, a car accident or some shit, has nothing to do with a spider bite. It went around in a crap forwarded email to everyone and their mom.
>> Anonymous
>>291970
Then why do they actually have the entire development of the spider bite worsening over time?
>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
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>>291970
It's a real bite, 9 days after.

In the picture that bite is one hour or so after a bite.
>> Anonymous
>>292012
Except that's untreated, with treatment it doesn't do that.