In fact, spider bites are very uncommon. Overall, spiders do not go after humans; they’d rather avoid them since we are more of a threat to them than they are to us. The species people should worry about — such as widow spiders and recluses — bite people rarely, and even then their bites are unlikely to lead to serious health problems.
“There’s a misperception of spiders,” said Dr. Brittany Campbell, entomologist with the National Pest Management Association. “There are just a handful of species that can really hurt people, but because of this fear that has really been perpetuated in general, the general public fears spiders more than is probably necessary.” [2]
Biological Sciences Associate Professor Anne Danielson-Francois overcame a fear of spiders thanks to her parents, who taught her to learn about the creatures before hating them. Today, her career involves studying spiders almost daily. Many of her research students overcame their own fear of spiders. “It’s just like anything else. The more you learn and interact with them, the less afraid you are,” she said. She also teaches how to identify spider species. “People go to the doctor and the Emergency Room with a ‘spider bite.’ Most are harmless or actually caused by insects and not spiders. The experiences my students have will help them identify medically important spider species and what treatment is needed, if any.” [3]
Live and Let Live
But if all the reassurances in the world couldn’t convince you to live with a spider, you should still never kill it. Instead, try to capture it and bring it outside; it’s a solution that both parties can feel happy about. But if you don’t mind having an eight-legged roommate, Bertone assures you that it’s normal to have spiders around. You may have spiders hiding somewhere you haven’t discovered yet. Either way, try to live and let live the next time you see an arachnid spinning a web in a corner of your house.
But Campbell warns against capturing spiders to bring into your home to kill other bugs. The invitation should only extend as far as the occasional arachnid already living in your house. If you have more than several insects around, you might want to find and eliminate the source. As in, you should look for bits of rotting food, dark or wet spaces, or too many cracks that let pests inside. If you think you’re finding more bugs than what should be considered normal, bring in a professional to assess the situation.
Danielson-Francois recommends the phone app Seek by iNaturalist and the website BugGuide.net to help identify the different spiders in your home. “Once you know what you are looking at, its behaviors and benefits, spiders aren’t so scary,” she said. “Some are really fascinating. You might find yourself wanting to learn more. Look up the dancing peacock spider — you won’t be disappointed.”
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