Why You Should Never Kill Spiders In Your Home
It’s true, spiders are some of the most feared pests in the home. And for good reason. They’re creepy, they’re crawly, and, depending on where you are in the world, they can be dangerous.
It’s estimated that there are, wait for it, around 50,000 species of spiders in the world! Yup, that’s a lot of spiders. With so many running around, it’s no wonder that some of them have found their way into our homes. And it’s even less of a surprise that we’re constantly on the lookout for ways to get rid of them.
After all, up to 15% of the global population suffers from arachnophobia, which is the fear of spiders. And even if you don’t have a full-blown phobia, it’s still pretty unsettling to find a spider in your home.
But before you go on a rampage and start killing every spider you see, you might want to rethink that decision. Let’s find out why!
7 reasons why you shouldn’t kill spiders in your home
1. Spiders are good at pest control
If there’s one thing spiders are good at, it’s catching other bugs and insects. In fact, it’s estimated that annually, the collective of spiders globally eat somewhere between 400-800 million metric tons of insects!
It isn’t just flies our eight-legged friends are catching either. Spiders will also go after mosquitoes, moths, beetles, and more – basically any small insect they can get their fangs into. By killing spiders in your home, you could be inadvertently increasing the population of other pests.
2. They’re important to the ecosystem
Spiders play an important role in the ecosystem, both in terms of preying on other insects and also as prey for larger animals. Birds, lizards, and snakes will all happily munch on a spider or two and help to keep the population in check.
What’s more, spiders are an important part of the food chain and help to keep the delicate balance in check. So, by killing spiders, you could be disrupting the ecosystem – and that’s never a good thing.
3. Spiders are harmless (for the most part)
While some spiders can pose a threat to humans, such as the brown recluse and black widow, the vast majority of spiders are harmless. In fact, of all the 50,000 species of spiders in the world, only around 200 can cause any harm to humans, with just 30 spiders out of those having caused death.
So, while they look terrifying, the likelihood of a spider in your home causing you any harm is pretty slim. You are, believe it or not, much more of a threat to them than they are to you!
4. Spiders aren’t actually out to get you
Despite what Hollywood would have you believe, spiders generally don’t want anything to do with humans. They’re terrified of us, in fact. Most spiders would much rather run away than bite you! So unless a spider is directly attacking you or your family, there’s really no need to kill them.
5. Killing is just plain wrong
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Killing any living creature, particularly when it has done nothing to you, is just wrong. All life is valuable and should be respected.
You’ll also feel pretty bad about yourself after you’ve killed one because deep down you know that you didn’t need to kill it.
6. It might give you bad luck in the form of more spiders
Some people believe that killing a spider will give you bad luck, including the misfortune of having even more spiders appear in your home. While there’s no scientific evidence to support this claim, it’s still something to consider.
No one wants bad luck, and you definitely don’t want more spiders showing up.
7. There are better ways to get rid of spiders
If you really can’t stand the thought of a spider being in your home, there are humane ways to get rid of them that won’t keep you up at night trembling with guilt.
Humane ways to get rid of spiders
- You could try using a cup and piece of paper to gently scoop the spider up and release it outside
- A spider vacuum/catcher is also a good option as it will suck the spider up without harming it, then you can release it back into the wild
- If you want to deter spiders from entering your home, you could try using a natural spider repellent like peppermint oil or citrus. These will keep spiders away without harming them
- A plug-in spider repellent could also do the trick
What do you think? Are you now convinced that killing spiders in your home isn’t the best idea? We hope so! Next time you see a spider, think twice before reaching for the nearest can of bug spray. Remember, these creatures play an important role in our ecosystem and are generally harmless to humans.