At the sight of a spider in your living room, the first instinct is to look for a way to crush it. This eight-legged insect is however more useful if you let him live.
- Of the 50,000 species of spiders listed in the world, only about fifteen are dangerous for humans (excluding allergies). It is in the tarantula family that we find the largest and most dangerous.
- Globally, it is estimated that spiders capture between 400 and 800 million tons of insects a year, some of which carry diseases such as malaria or damage agricultural crops.
One in four French people admit to being afraid of it : the spiders are for some a nightmare on legs, especially if they play at home. But while many of us want to crush it as soon as we see it crossing our living room, it’s worth remembering that this six- or eight-eyed insect is more useful alive than dead.
The house spider, a harmless insect
Contrary to popular belief, it is not because the weather is cooling that spiders take refuge between our walls. It is “love” that motivates them: autumn being the reproduction period for spiders, male spiders – they are the ones who are the most restless – are simply looking for a female to mate with.
Apart from a small fright, you risk nothing by welcoming a spider into your home. If there are more than 1,700 different species in France, only one is potentially dangerous (the black widow, in Corsica). Most of them are not even able to pierce your skin, and spend most of their time in their web waiting for their future partner… or their meal. Because as voracious predators, house spiders have a hygienic interest: they clean your home by eating the equivalent of their weight in flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, fleas and other parasites every day. Crushing them is therefore the best way to find yourself invaded by pests! Especially since it’s counterproductive, as their corpses and the smell of blood will only attract more insects to your home.
The spider, a sign of a healthy home
Rejoice, a spider that has taken up residence in your home is a sign that you live in a clean and healthy home. Arachnids are indeed attracted to places that are neither too confined, nor too hot, nor too humid, where the air is healthier there than elsewhere. The same in the garden: their massive presence means that it is free of pesticides and that biodiversity is abundant there.
It’s admittedly hard to fall asleep after spotting a spider in the middle of your bedroom. But instead of taking its life, opt instead for the gentle method: capture it and release it on your landing, your garage or your attic – avoiding your balcony, however, because the cold can be a condemnation to death for some species.
And if the very sight of a spider really makes you flinch, you can try to ward them off with a few natural techniques. Like installing mosquito nets on all your openings, or even brushing your door and window edges with a repellent made up of vinegar water, peppermint or lavender – scents that make them flee.
