Fear of spiders in our DNA, according to new study

Telegraph UK ^ | 05 Apr 2015 | Martin Evans

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A fear of spiders could be something we are born with rather than something we learn, according to a new scientific study.

Research suggests that arachnophobia could be sown into our DNA as a result of survival instincts developed by our ancestors millions of years ago in Africa.

The research suggests that spiders presented such a powerful threat to the survival of the first humans that the ability to spot them became an evolutionary necessity.

more at link...

[heylady]

Yes I use the cup and paper technique too. I do have one small spider that I let live near the back door in my house because I figure he will trap mosquitos that make their way into my house.

Three days after I moved to Texas I found a gigantic Wolf spider in my bedroom. My Babcia , grandmother, did not believe in killing spiders and I usually don’t but when I squished this guy I heard a loud crunch. It was almost like bones breaking.

[piasa]

You can feed them hamburger, raw of course...

[Buttons12]

I have long thought the human fear of spiders is hard-wired.

So have I. It is probably not enough aversion to have weeded out the worst species of spiders, but efforts continue.

I wonder, too, if they have other "enemies on principle." Do other primates tend to kill them on sight?

My dad once told me it's a leg thing: two legs best, four is acceptable, but six-legged creatures are over the line and eighters are just nasty, and your centipedes and millipedes are truly beyond enduring.

Then there's the territory issue. I won't chase down a spider outdoors, but in here, I am Javert. "I will find him and bring him to justice."

[T-Bone Texan]

You brought back memories of El Toro.

[T-Bone Texan]

Excellent use of the word “crepuscular”, which I learned of here on FR only a few weeks ago.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Not doing a good job. As a mosquito magnet, I know. :)

[fruser1]

No distinction between dangerous and harmless spiders?

That’s racist!

[AnotherUnixGeek]

The research suggests that spiders presented such a powerful threat to the survival of the first humans that the ability to spot them became an evolutionary necessity.

I suspect that the first humans were far more likely to view spiders as a possible snack than as a threat to survival. And people who are squeamish about spiders usually have the same aversion to grasshoppers, caterpillars and other large insects which aren't capable of harming them.