On the heels of Pollinator Week, it seems appropriate to celebrate another important member of the arthropod family, arachnids. These are our eight legged friends that often find themselves flushed down, stomped on, shrieked at and generally disrespected. It's difficult to change the mind of someone afraid of spiders, those fears run deep, but they really are unfounded. If we learn more about spiders and can look past the furry body and all of those legs to appreciate their usefulness. Maybe we can even try capturing them and setting them free or even letting them live where they're happiest and well-fed (which, sorry, may be indoors), rather than exterminating them. The thought of spiders may give you the creeps, the willies or an epic shudder, but believe it or not, a spider inside is not a bad thing! For example, did you know that spiders eat many household pests like cockroaches, earwigs, flies, moths and disease carrying mosquitoes? Those are bugs that live in your house and do feed on you, your kids and your pets. While you sleep, they may be preventing you from getting diseases. Spiders also help farmers' crops by feeding on damaging insects like aphids and destructive caterpillars. So they can prevent diseases, assist farmers with crops, spin intricate, stunningly beautiful webs and are beautiful if you lean in and take a closer look. Don't forget spiders also provide a food source for birds and other insectivores. They're sounding better already, aren't they? We should be putting them on the payroll, not squashing them!
Since we humans aren't a preferred food source, they rarely attack us. Very few are deadly or even toxic to us. So when you see that itsy bitsy spider climbing up the water spout, let it climb on and live its best life while protecting you from the true nasty critters lurking in your home or garden.