Spiders provoke fear and revulsion in both adults and infants. But what is it about spiders and their eight legs, fat and fury, thin dark needle-like bodies, that inflicts a fear for them within us? Researchers from Germany and Sweden decided to find out by testing a specific segment of our population least likely to show fear: babies.
They started by analyzing a group of 48, six-month-old infants, and recorded their reactions to images. The infants while seated in the comfort of their parents, were shown images of spiders and snake for five seconds each. The parents were not allowed to see the images. This was done so that they did not influence the reactions of their infants. The scientists recorded different kinds of data, especially pupil dilation, because dilated pupils are associated with brain neural activity, which processes stress.
The results astonished everyone. When the babies saw images of spiders, they reacted with larger pupils than when other controlled images of fish and flowers were shown. Another contradictory study shows people aren’t born afraid of spiders. Instead, it is learned during infancy. It is said that natural selection may have played its part in favoring people who stayed away from these creatures. Therefore, several studies show that both humans and apes learn to fear evolutionarily threatening things than non-threatening things. It is said that spiders presented a great danger to humans during the early stages of our evolution. This fear of spiders has now become a part of our DNA.
The fear of spiders is termed as arachnophobia. Spiders tick all the boxes, like any other phobia. As time passes it builds up in our minds and we become so fearful of them that even seeing a picture of spiders will send chills down our spines. Spiders are found everywhere in America and some are a cause of concern for homeowners with small children and pets. The most common spiders found in San Antonio are Brown recluse, Black Widow, House spider, and Wolf Spider. You should avoid contact with Brown recluses and Black widow spiders.
The identification of spiders is a hard task. We at Accurate Pest Control in San Antonio recommend not trying to remove spiders unless you are 100% sure they are non-venomous. Here are some of the easiest ways to prevent spiders from entering your home:
- Make sure all gaps and crevices in the walls and foundations are filled.
- Make sure windows are not open and window screens are not torn.
- Keep the yard and garden clean.
- Get rid of debris on the exterior of the house or property.
- Keep the garage clean and also perform thorough cleaning and vacuuming of the interiors of your home.
Our survival instinct has evolved since ancient times and this is what makes us fear and feel disgusted when we encounter these critters. Most of us hate these creepy eight-legged creatures. So, let our Pest Control professionals in San Antonio, Texas take care of your spider control problems. Call us today for more information and quotations for all your pest control problems.