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Next up: an interview with a celebrated biologist and arachnologist who specializes in the diversity and evolution of spiders. We have episodes on dancing spiders and spiderwebs, but not good ol' spiders in general and this professor is familiar with the lot of them: the harvesters, the jumpers, the hunters, the widows, the burrowers... What questions do you have about eight-legged creepy crawlies?

Deadline: Tuesday, September 3 at noon PST

Greenbottle blue tarantula (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens)

Comments

RJ Doidge

Is there like…an innate quality to spiders that evokes fear? I’m not particularly arachnophobic but they still give me *quite* a bit of pause.

Maddie

Id like to know anything and everything about conquering my fear of spiders. Do they have any experience with peoples fear of spiders? Tips and tricks? I know all the usual stuff like they’re more scared of us and they’re mostly harmless if you don’t harass them but anything would help :)

Lauren Seibert

How do they make the butt web floss string thingy?! Is it just coiled constantly and it’s like a reel or is it built when they need it?

Braden Brown

How do their eyes and their sight work??

Zed Shirogane

What is it about spiders that makes people fear them so much? I find very small spiders pretty cute, big but slow moving ones cool, but as soon as they start to skitter I hate them with all my being. There’s this weird uncanny valley zone in size and speed where they just make my caveman brain terrified. Why?

Allie Brown

How many do we really eat while we sleep?

Allie Brown

Why do they move so scary??

Erin Everton

Firstly: EEEE spiders! ♥️♥️♥️♥️ Secondly…….how related are spiders and crabs? Are jumping spiders so cute because they need bigger eyes for their hunting style? Is there an advantage to having 8 legs vs 6 and when did that separation happen in evolutionary history?

Anna Dylan

Why are people so afraid of spiders?

Will

Why am I so scared of spiders? And in a totally unrelated question, I remember hearing about 2-foot-wide bird spiders in the Amazon when I was young. Are there actually spiders that big?

Anna Dylan

How does the web come out of their butt!

Susanne Collins

I LOOOOOOVE spiders. I want to know—can they be real friends? I know jumping spiders for example SEEM like they are hip to what’s going on. They seem friendly and curious. What’s going on there? Can they really be my buddy? Do they even have the brain capacity for that?

Zed Shirogane

How many separate times have spiders evolved? Is it like the crab situation where it’s just a good body plan that they’ve evolved a bunch of separate times, or is there a distinct genetic line that we can track down to the “original spider”?

Emma Henson

What's the most dangerous spider?

Erin Erskine

FTQA: How venomous, and how poisonous ARE they? Is there a correlation between “I die if it eats me and I die if I eat it” in terms of toxicity? How do other animals know which ones they can eat?

Diana Teeter

I live in NYC and I like to let the small little “house spiders” just live in the corners of my apartment when they move in-I figure they can eat the bugs I don’t want in my apartment like those annoying clothes moths…but how much does a little spider like that eat anyway? Is it like one small fly will keep it full for weeks or do they need to eat every day?

Anna Dylan

Are spiders like genetically programmed to know the right shape for their web and how to build it or is it just a learning from observation thing

Eating dog hair for a living

Why are their webs so sticky when you walk into them? Which spider has the longest lifespan? The shortest? Are there more than one species that carry their young on their back? And why do they do that? How long do they do that? Which is the largest and where does it live? Are sand spiders really arachnids? Are any breaching extinction?

Rori

Is there a hack to knowing which are safe to pick up? Asking for my toddler who won’t take “none of them please” for an answer 😭

Katherine Fox

What are some of the beneficial things spiders do in the garden?

Emma Henson

Is it true a house spider won't survive if you put them outside?

Brittany Ross

As an arachnophobia meself: FTQA: What are some qualities of spiders that are endearing? I have learned to find jumping spiders cute now, but help me love the less "adorable" spiders.

Anna Dylan

Why do the dangerous/venomous spiders always seem to live in warmer climates? We have lots of spiders in Northern Ontario but as far as I know they are all pretty much harmless

EssieRoo

So I know the difference between poisonous and venomous, but are there ones that are poisonous? Like if a bird eats one it makes the bird sick?

wicker bitch

Talk to me about pedipalps. When a jumping spider is sort of wiggling them and it's really cute what does that mean?

Clay Troyer

FTQA: I hate walking through spider webs while hiking because I feel bad for ruining their home they worked so hard on but they also built it across the trail, so who’s really in the wrong there?

Chrysalis Ashton

I LOVE SPIDERS. What are the smallest and the largest species?

Erin Gunderson

Can we hear about the locomotion? How similar to hydraulic devices we would be familiar with is it?

Paige

I feel like it's much more common to be afraid of spiders than anything else (even insects, which to me are too similar to spiders to be afraid of one and not the other, but I know several people that are). What's going on there?

Adam Foote

Is it true that most "spider bites" are actually just big fly or mosquito bites? I'm sure this is somewhat location dependent

Anna Dylan

Is it true that a spider only ever builds one web and if you get rid of a spiderweb you have ruined its life’s work and it can’t make another?

Anna Dylan

Is it true that if you move a spider from your house to outside it will die?

Greg Walloch

Are they really attracted to Marijuana smoke and Brazilian Bum Bum Cream or is the internet lying to us?

Anna Dylan

Are daddy long legs real spiders?

Anna Dylan

Why is their butt so big? Is that where they hide all the web or all the spider babies?

Ashley Bower

What are the chances of actually getting bit by a spider?

Sarah Price

How did they get to be associated with being scary or creepy?

Adam Weaver

What is the best way to communicate to someone that they should love and not fear spiders?

Cheryl W

Why am I horribly allergic to their bites and how do I keep them out of my bed? 😱

Ashley Bower

Why are there so dang many in the south? Feel like I’m under constant attack 🤣

Kelli Brown

FTQA. Why do spiders have so many legs & eyes? Why are spiders hairy? Does the environment have an impact on how large/small a particular spider is?

Anna Dylan

How long do spiders live? I feel like the big ones live longer than the small ones cause people keep tarantulas as pets but how long does the tiniest spider live?

Adam Weaver

Also, have you read Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky? It's such a beautiful novel.

Bel Jensen-Hill

Why are people (me, I'm people) arachnaphobic and can exposure therapy cure me?

Dave Brewer

The two follow-ups are good too.

Matt Thompson

What are different trapping methods for spiders other than webs?

Matt Thompson

Do the different eyes serve different purposes?

Adam Weaver

Oh my God there's more? How did I miss that! Thanks for letting me know

Gena

On average, what are the lifespans of spiders? Also, which species live the longest and which live the shortest?

Karloz Javier

How far back do early-human myths about spiders go?

Dave Brewer

How far can they fly when they ballon?

Dani C

Yay, spiders! So, we’ve got bumble bee conservation, butterfly conservation, tiger beetle conservation… what’s going on in the world of spider conservation!? Thanks! [Oh! Also, never had my question read, thank you Alie :)]

Jeri Rae Art

What did spiders evolve from?

S Bartfast

How can anything be so creepy and yet also so dang cute?

Erin White

What's going on with that thing where when someone (not me, for this reason and others) smashes them like a million tiny ones come out in a horrifying flood of tiny spiders? Where even were they?

Dave Brewer

On average, how many of a clutch of baby spiders reach maturity, and what percentage of those successfully mate?

Ashley Rockett

Do daddy long leg spiders only have one eye they look like cyclopes to me

Mickaylee Shaughnessy

How much am I ruining their day when I accidentally sweep up their nests?

Paige McLachlan

What separates spiders from the larger group of arachnids??

Ashley Marrs

Is it flim flam that daddy long leg spiders are poisonous but they can't bite people due to their anatomy?

Brendan Dean

How do you identify, and what are the major differences between, old world and new world spiders/tarantulas?

Mimz

Why are jumping spiders so CUTE!?!

Jacob Shepherd

Is it better to let spiders stay in the house to kill other bugs? Or to trap them and put them outside?

Shannon Debo

Spider silk. Tell me how they produce it! What is it? What is it made up of. Is it the same as silk worm silk???

Mimz

Why the preponderance of poisonous spiders in Australia?

Timmy H.

Why did evolution say spider?

Brenden O'Donnell

My husband is afraid of spiders but I think they’re cute little buddies. I’ve tried to convince him in lots of ways — they’re smart, they have cute faces, they eat annoying bugs — but nothing has worked. How can I make him like them?

Valary Joly

Which spiders are actually dangerous to humans and how do we avoid them. Also what's up with arachnids that aren't spiders?

Timmy H.

Thoughts on Harry Potter spiders?

Mimz

😯 I've never heard that, now I need to know too!

Carleen DH

First time question asker (as far as I know): I live in Tucson, AZ and am seeing more black widows recently than I have since we moved here. Are they more likely to be out because it's monsoon season? And also even if I (or my one year old) run into one how likely is she to bite me?

Hannah Thorpe

What's the deal with daddy long legs...are they actually spiders or not??

Loren R.

Besides raising the next generation to not be afraid of spiders, how can we help shift the narrative away from fear towards respect and appreciation?

Chris Curious

Why do we have such a visceral reaction to spiders?

Mimz

My 12 year old ologite, Elliot, wants to know, why did they change the shape of their jaws? When did that happen?

Mr. Weevil

what’s the deal with all the legs? and the eyes? is it better to bring them outside when we find them in our house or should we leave them be?

Storm

why does Australia have so many venomous spiders?

Bassist Ex Machina

Why are so many of us afraid of spiders even though many of them are completely harmless to humans? There are few things in this world that would push me to jump off the top of a 20 foot ladder while painting my house, but when one of those eight-legged wonders dropped down beside my face three stories up, it flipped the bird to rationality and nearly sent me to an untimely end.

Taters Schmitty

Keeping tarantulas as pets- is it ok for them? Can they be happy? Do we have any way to know what makes a satisfying spider life?

Storm

what’s the coolest spider you’ve ever seen?

Storm

what’s the deal with spiders that can walk on water and how can I do that?

Yuri

I know people who want to save the bees, but then pay for services to spray for spiders and ants! What are the good things that spiders do, and how can we convince people to leave them be? (Yuri is like beauty without the b)

Emmett

How do I get my best friend to stop being afraid of spiders?

Emily Staw-fur

How do they stick to surfaces like glass? Are they sticky?

Eil Be Gone

Is it true you can only get a widows antivenom only once in your life? Why is that?

Aki

Do spiders communicate with each other? If so, how?

Corinna Regan

On behalf of my partner, Tony, 'Can I pet that spider?' also, what's the best way to remove a spider from your house and is that ethical? I heard some can't survive long outside the house.

Emmett

Can you talk about the benefits of keeping spiders alive and around? If I see one in my house I consider them a friend and a free pest controller. I just moved into a new dorm and there’s one in the corner by my window who I was very excited to see! Is there anything I can do to make the spiders in my home happier?

Meghan McLean

Sometimes I get flies in my house and when I kill them I’ll feed my neighborhood spiders (aka roommates)…will this affect them in any way—having already dead prey instead of live prey?

Emmett

Do you have a favorite spider and why? Slightly different question - do you have a favorite or go to “ambassador” spider you reference for people who don’t like them?

Emmett

What is the evolutionary benefit of having 8 legs?

Emmett

Are there any threats facing spiders? We always hear about people being afraid OF them but is there any reason we should be afraid FOR them?

Megan Duffy

1. I was once told the daddy long leg spiders were extremely venomous, but because of their body shape and their pinchers/fangs they can’t hurt humans. Is that true or was I hearing flim flam? 2. My girlfriend asked why are they everywhere?

Miranda Panda

Why are we so afraid of spiders?

Miranda Panda

How long have spiders been around? What is their closest relative?

Pavka34

How many eyes do spiders have? I recall being told as a kid they had both simple and compound eyes. Is this true? Why and what’s the benefit?

Liz Cleveland

Brown recluse. What makes their bite cause such harm to your skin?

Pavka34

What is the coolest spider out there?

Doug Paice

From my smologite, Tilda Mills: How small is the smallest? How big is the biggest? Which ones are most dangerous to dogs? Are there any that are bioluminescent?

Pavka34

What do you think of the book Charlotte’s Web? What is the best spider movie and why is it Charlotte’s web?

Meagan Walker

How do they make silk so fast? Is there some coiled up ready, or does it form as it’s pulled out?

Miranda Panda

Why do spiders have such bad PR?

Miranda Panda

Wait what? They changed the shape of their jaws??

Meagan Walker

Is there *actually* some essential oil or other substance that acts as a spider repellant, or do they not care about that stuff?

Meagan Walker

I also want to know! Saw the aftermath on a leg once, it was gnarly.

Greg Walloch

Once I was walking with friends in the countryside in Ireland and suddenly there were hundreds of super tiny spiders seemingly flying through the air. They were getting stuck in people's hair and on their clothes, but it was mostly cute because they were so teeny. Where did they come from and where were they going? How did so many of them get airborne? Is this an act of nature or something they can do by choice?

Doug Paice

Another from Tilda: are there any that live in a family or pack?

Meagan Walker

How can they get a line across such wide spaces to make a web? Do they do it on purpose or just hope it lands somewhere good?

Meagan Walker

Are there many species that raise their babies?

Annalise De Young

Is it true that tarantulas are not true spiders? Or is that flim-flam? Also- what is your opinion on the 1967 children's book, Be Nice to Spiders?

Jess C

As an Australian, I wonder why we are so famous for our venomous spider friends. Is it because there are lots of different ones here? Do Austtalian spiders deserve their reputation, or are they unfairly maligned?

Anjali Himali

Could Spider-Man actually happen? Are are his powers accurate? How strong are spiders?

Jess C

Also, why do countless tiny baby spiders hatch from my ceiling and rain on me ~5 times a year? Why are there so many? (help)

Mimz

There's old world jaws and new world jaws!

Zuleika Pevec

I often blame unknown bites on my body on spiders…are there common biting spiders that are crawling on me at night (I live in the Rocky Mountains)?

Noel Dietz

My office window has dozens of spiders of different species living, apparently, in harmony. Are their diets sp specialized that they're not appetizing to each other?

Zuleika Pevec

I found this lovely (my profile pic) in Hawaii. Why is it so punk rock?

Katy

Why is arachnophobia so freakin common?

winn

why is it advantageous for some spiders to be so brightly colored?

winn

what do they see with all those eyes?????

winn

is it true that spiders used to be way bigger when there was more oxygen in the atmosphere? and what would be the biggest pet spider i could have had at that time in history?

winn

what makes tarantulas different from other kinds of spiders and why are they SO CUTE

winn

how do spiders experience sound?

cameliabee

Why am I so afraid of them?

Patricia Brewster

Cat Spiders. Do the morph in color due to their nest area? Mine is a beautiful rust color that lives in a rust colored bird house. Under eaves they are pale brown🤔

daniel schmaniel

just learned that the "ballooning" theory is wrong. spiders can fly? what? how?

John Worster

How do spiders squeeze through small spaces? It doesn't matter if I've closed all the tiny spots around my doors, a spider will still get into my house.

Nina Giacobbe

Why are they just so darn cute?!?!!

Cate Muenker

What makes arachnophobia such a common fear? There’s gotta be an anthropological reason it’s so prevalent.

SuchaHotMetz

Hypothetically if there were no spiders how different would the world be? Curious as to the roles they play in their habitats. Also daddy long legs....why?

Mark Payton

FTQA Why the F*** are they so scary? 🤯

daniel schmaniel

why do creatures seem to progress gradually with 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 legs, then just suddenly jump to hundreds? i.e. why aren't 10-20 legs more advantageous?

daniel schmaniel

how do you rate your favorite spider(s)? aesthetic, hunting, web design, "coolness"

PuddinTea

Is it actually beneficial to have a little spider roommate For bug control? or have I been lied to

ValBeListening

I know a few people who have had spiders as pets, including a jumping spider. Should we be having spiders as pets? What is the spider market like? (I have a feeling it isn't very good for the spiders)

daniel schmaniel

of course spiders help control insects, and some nerds (like me) know their venom is being studied for medical treatment. what's your favorite obscure benefit provided by our eight-legged misunderstood benefactors?

Katherine Aaron

How many spiders are actually poisonous?

Katherine Aaron

And +1 to all the questions about why some people find them so scary!

Jennifer Froh

Why am I SOOO afraid of them? But them SOME of them I'm kinda ok with and are even verging on cute? How can we improve their PR?

Miranda Harter

Why do they like bathrooms so much??

Lisa Gorman

Once my college roommate put on a shirt from a drawer, looked in the mirror and screamed because there was a spider actively laying eggs on it. Wtf? Is this a common thing? Because this was horrifying and really fed the spider fears for me for a while. (College was in upstate NY in case this helps figure out what in the hell was going on)

Diane Doty

How are they constantly appearing out of nowhere? I swear, there’s nothing there then boom! Spider! Stop sneaking up on me

Tara Ward

How do they make their thread? Do all spiders have eight legs? Are there any eight-legged creatures that are not spiders?

Christina Craft

Are wolf spiders the only spiders that carry eggs and babies on their upper abdomen? What’s that about?

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

What’s the cutest spider and why is the only correct answer the Australian peacock spider?

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

How true is the urban legend of someone licking an envelope to seal it closed, getting a paper cut on their tongue, and then having spider eggs that were on the envelope transfer into said paper cut and therefore hatch out of said tongue? Possible or flim flam?

Aaron Jozsef

Nope and nope. No questions. I'm good.

Lillian Rolfe

Why do they love my costume shop so much?! Seriously. Tiny spiders everywhere, boldly making webs between my sewing machines over night. 😬. (I’m afraid the answer is carpet beetles).

Matt Hirschl

I work for a steel company. You always hear that spider silk is stronger than steel. How is that determined???

Ginja Ninja LB

Please see the book Aaaarrgghh! Spider! Book by Lydia Monks to help your fears! 😉 But they freak me out too! My daughter (childhood reader of said book) wants to know if they have feelings or show personality

Honey Bee Grey

Can spiders recognize humans? Also is it actually okay to have them as pets?

Rebecca Morrison

FTQA: can you tell us about orb weavers? Is it flim flam that they die if they leave their webs?

Beth Weese

Will jumping spiders bite me? They are sooo cute (and I need to relocate them on occasion).

Amber Hays

I heard if you put a spider you find in your house outside it’s like a death sentence for them. Is this true? Aren’t they from the outside? *long time listener first time question asker*

shyla bradford

Hi I would love to know more about two things one webs… types of webs how they’re formed why the shapes are how they are how are some parts sticky and why doesn’t a spider stick to it And 2 some spiders are so beautiful in colour and do amazing hand waving and butt wigging dances and I want to know how that evolved and why there is such a huge variety are they all different species?? Thanks

Richard

Is anyone breeding spiders to make them more pet friendly? Calmer around humans, living longer, fun varieties, etc.

Bee

Is it true that they have tiny paws?!

Mark McPhillips

I've often heard that bigger spiders are usually the safer ones (huntsman spiders freak me out!), and that tiny ones tend to have the stronger venom. I also heard that small ones' mouths are often too small to bite humans. Are either of these true??

Pacheecha

I've heard that spiders are so ubiquitous that pretty much anywhere on the planet you can find one within 4 feet. I'm assuming that is Earth, not ocean. This fun bit of information (hopefully not true!) is terrifying for me, however. For some reason spiders are so scary to me. I know that some humans are absolutely freaked out about snakes, but for me, those are very pretty. Is there something hardwired into humans to not like spiders or am I an exception?

Scarlet P

Someone told me spiders dont actually crawl into your bed to bite you, thats just a myth… but I swear I’ve waken up with spider bites! What does the expert say?

Jacob Morvay

Hi! I'd love to know if all spiders are solitary or if there are any types of communities? Thanks!

Mark McPhillips

I'm also curious to hear about the role of spiders in myth and culture throughout the world. Off the top of my head West Africa has the trickster god Anansi, and Japan has a story about a spider lifting a woman out of hell, but there must be so many more!

Vita Trincali

I have seen documentaries that show people roasting and eating very large spiders. The thought of it makes me more anxious than seeing them alive. Have you ever (knowingly) eaten a spider? Tell me everything

BolognaShoes

My husband just went down a deep rabbit hole about spider silk and read many paragraphs from a scientific paper aloud for me— but my only takeaway is that I need to know if it’s possible to harvest spider silk and make cloth.

Lindsay Howells

FTQA: I’m curious about web shapes! What informs a spiders web shape? Where I live, I have a lot of spiders that make a dome shaped web rather than the classic circular web. The dome webs seem to be finer thread that is more dense compared to the classic orb shaped webs . Is the web shape of a spider designed for a certain prey? Or is it defined by the spider’s biology or the environment? Thank you!

Carrie Walker

Our house is full of spiders (pholcus phalangioides, I think). I'm pretty okay with them but once in a while I think about moving some of them outside cuz it's actually kind of bonkers how many there are. My sense though is that is these are multi-generational indoor spiders. Would they die if I put them outside? I live in a temperate region of Canada. (I probably won't move them regardless, because I'm afraid of how many other insects would proliferate if I got rid of the spiders.)

Matt Ceccato

What can I say to my friends that are creeped out by spiders to assuage them that spiders are, indeed, OUR friends?

Margaret Aisenbrey

I love orb weavers! Why do I only see them in the fall?

Nita Chen

Why do some people find spiders repulsive? Is it an instinctual thing? I think they’re really cute.

Nita Chen

Are there spider breeders out there? Is it harmful to the environment to own spiders?

Nita Chen

Why do they have so many eyes?

Nita Chen

Should I be putting spiders that I find inside the house outside? Or am I dooming them to a more protracted suffering demise?

NickyTeddy Palmer

What spider makes the strongest silk? How strong is it?

Ryan Holaday

How close it humanity to synthesizing spider silk for applications like clothing and structural engineering? What do we know about how spiders make it?

Andrea Marie Squirrel Tree Roggero

What’s the smallest spider? Biggest? How do jumping spiders jump so high? How many species are there? Are they found in Antarctica?

Tia V

Growing up I always heard that the smaller the spider the worse their bite, and the bigger the spider the less you have to worry about their venom -- is that true?

Jessica Wilson

Is it true that daddy long legs are actually very poisonous but their mouths are too small to bite people?

TC

Spiders... Where do they come from, why are they here, and what do they want from us? Seriously though, is it true you're never very far from a spider?

Mallory Avery

Why are people so afraid of spiders? Is there some evolutionary explanation, like for snakes?

Mallory Avery

Why are there so many so very large spiders in Australia, even in places that aren't very warm or tropical?

Marc Rubin

This might be a really dumb question- do spiders eat mosquitoes? Has anyone ever tried using spiders to mitigate mosquitoes? Side note: please do an episode on veterinary gerontology with Dr Ashley Portmann of Home Together Vet! I think other ologites would love to learn more about how veterinarians help our pets make the most of their golden years. There's nothing more heartwarming than seeing a sweet older pet living their best life! https://www.instagram.com/p/CtweGRZuZeW/?igsh=MWtwNzc2NGkwMXIxeg==

Andrew McVay

FTQA If you could be bit Spider Man-style and get super powers, what spider would you want powers from?

Amanda

Can you identify the species of spider just by looking at their web?

Addie Cappello she her

I RESPECT THE HECK OUT OF THEM!!!! How are they the best architects ever? I will literally stare at webs in absolute awe of the natural ability to make a structure so strong and beautiful and perfect. Can you talk a little about the science behind their web material? Do different species have a different “silk” chemical make up? Do you ever just stare at spiders knowing that they’re way more complex beings than humans and wish everyone else could see it? My coworker and I hike through the woods in the PNW regularly and we both try so hard to avoid wrecking webs. If and when a web is wrecked, I imagine this is a traumatic experience for them- (I always feel terrible) but maybe they’re just like “WTF AGAIN?!?!??!!” And then go rebuild another one in like fifteen minutes. What are your thoughts on this? Do you have a favorite species? If so what makes them your favorite?

rita mnxo4

I've gone night hunting (running our coonhound) with my hubby in the woods. Obviously we use headlamps and lights to find our way. Many times I have shone the light on the forest floor and seen it absolutely glitter with what I believe are spider eyes. Like tens of thousands of spiders, everywhere, and it happens on dry nights when there is no dew. Is it possible there are THAT many spiders out there? It's both terrifying to think about and a quite beautiful thing to see.

Addie Cappello she her

Is there a family or genus or species for the cute little ones that are mostly black, sometimes have cool colors also, and are super fuzzy and twitchy? I get cute overload at these guys and I just want to respectfully snoogle them (and not get bit)

Addie Cappello she her

I let the spiders live in the corners of my house rent free- are there certain species that only reside inside dwellings versus living outdoors?

Björn Fredberg

Are there any spider species who will actually hunt larger prey, like a human? Or are we safe by our relative large size?

Björn Fredberg

What is the benefit of having eight legs, over six legs in insects, or hundreds in millipedes?

Addie Cappello she her

Where in the world did you hear this!?! I hope so hard this is film flam

Carrie Lincourt

Maeve asks: What do they eat other than flies?

Björn Fredberg

Why are some spiders hairy? They usually live in warm countries, so can't really be to keep the heat? Bonus question: do spiders ever do any grooming of their hair? Now I can't stop seeing a spider with a very well coiffed mustache

Björn Fredberg

What kind of species are included in arachnids? Crabs and other sea creatures? Do spiders exist on all continents, and also the oceans?

Björn Fredberg

What kind of science experiments are conducted on spiders? I know about (controversial) experiments with radio controlled large cockroaches. Could large spiders must also be used for this?

mynameisaurien

FTQA: Can someone tell me if it’s a cool episode.? Scorpions are baddies, but Spiders make me go 😖😰🫣😩

Agata Kajewska

Where there any ancient spiders at the time of dinosaurs? How old are they are a species

Björn Fredberg

Qs from my wife Malin: How many eyes do spiders have? Why do they have many? Do they eyes differ in function?

Kathryn Angwin

Can jumping spider recognize people?

Kathryn Angwin

How many species of spider are unknown? First time question asker!

Daniella Napolitano

What's your favorite spider? People always ask about the largest spider but what's the smallest spider? Is the story about black widows eating their mates true? Or is it just because the studies were done in captivity?

Daniella Napolitano

Is there a way to encourage spiders to live in a specific part of your yard (i.e. away from doorways) or are spiders gonna spider wherever they feel like?

Robert G Audet

Soooo. I have a boatload of cat face spiders around the back of my rental home in Flagstaff, AZ. They seem to be everywhere I want to be!! I keep knocking down the webs with a broom and within 2-3 days, they’re back with webs - really sticky ones. I don’t want to kill them AND I want my back door freed up so I can walk out without getting webs and spider babies and teens all over me. Yechhh! Any tips on discouraging them besides maybe a daily or twice daily sweeping with a broom? BTW, I Looooove jumping spiders. They’re so smart and sweet

Camron McDonald

First time question asker but I’m using this one for my fiancée. She’s terrified of spiders but wants to at least get to a point where she can tolerate them by learning more. She wanted to know what lead to spiders in Australia and more tropical climates to grow much more significantly compared to ones we see in our area (Ohio).

Rozelyn Hesby

My son Colin Hesby (6 yo) would like to know: 1. How do spiders poop? 2. Is web thread poop? If not, what does spider poop look like & how do I find at my house? 3. Is spider poop smelly?

Rose

I’ve seen some cooking channels that highlight that fried tarantulas are a delicacy in some areas of the world? Have you ever eaten a spider (other than unknowingly like everyone supposedly does in their sleep, and also is that a myth?)

Janika Mäki

First time question asker: have you seen the picture of a big spider with a small frog, telling that they somehow live in a symbiotic relationship without the spider eating the tinier frog? Is that total flimflam or is there any truth to that? And do you know any similar symbiotic relationships with spiders? Big spider fan btw, thank you for this discussion!

SHANAY SMYLY

First time question asker: WHY so many eyes?? What evolutionary part of the tree did they come from to develop multiple eyes?

Ellie Snowden

Why do some have a massive butt - what do they keep in there

Ellie Snowden

How do they string their webs across such wide areas (ie my garden, pranking me in the face every morning) - do they leap? Or use the string Spider-Man style to swing across?

Ellie Snowden

What order or pattern do they use their legs to walk about - or is it an anything goes/express yourself / you-do-you situation

Yngvi

Oh my God! Finally this topic! ❤️

Yngvi

Can you make a brief explanation of how tarantulas got their name and how it is connected to Tarantella dance from the city of Taranto in Italy

Rochelle Waldman

what do you think caused the diverse species radiation of spiders? Why and how are there so many of them crawling about?

Olga Kolesnikova

I'm sure this is gonna be asked a lot but do you have any tips for overcoming arachnophobia? I appreciate spiders and would never hurt one but I don't want them in my vicinity

Drew DiMaggio

Why does the common house spider have such a lame name with such a beautiful marble pattern? How can I submit a new name to the scientific community for consideration? How about the Rorschach Spider? Or the Marble Spider?

Dave Cannon

I don't mind spiders, I think they're great, really. What percentage of spiders should I worry about? Like how many should I be taking outside, and how many are okay keep secretly in the house. Don't tell my wife.

Derek Peloquin

How fast can they spin a web? And if I hike a trail in the early morning (from Ohio here), why am I always running into them? 😫

Derek Peloquin

Is it fine to catch and release them outside, or am I still sentencing them to death by doing that, even without killing them myself?

Fuzzgoddess

Is it safe to pet them (if they let you) or could that damage them? Like fish and their mucus layer or butterflies with their scales. I have jumping spiders in my yard and they are so cute with their big eyes and fuzzy everything! But I don't want to hurt them with my love 😻

Helena

I know spiders are great roommates, but when the big ones get into my personal bubble, they scare me! How can we cohabitate peacefully without getting into each other's hair? (First time question asker, btw!)

Lee T.

Why why do they bite me so often? For as long as I can remember, those little sneaky creepy crawlers have found me and snacked on me. Family, roommates, partners - they all get through the night without a bite. Why do some of us seem to attract them?

Lee T.

Oh and which ones are most likely biting me? Mountains of WNC and PNW

Cecelia Morales

SPIDERS! 😍 I work at a garden and notice that the same spider will weave it’s web in the same space for awhile! It’s an orb weaver and during the day, tucks itself back into a little leaf cocoon 🥹- SO CUTE! How long will a spider stay in one area? Why do they choose certain spaces? Sometimes it seems like a reasonable, safe spot and sometimes it looks crazy treacherous for them! Also, we have these huntsman spiders that are WILD LOOKING. How big of a prey can they actually catch?!

Lee T.

Or is it that granddaddy long legs are actually bugs and the front two “legs” are antennae? I’ve heard both.

Lee T.

Tell them the horrible world we’d live in without spiders. I shudder when a spider gets near me and remind myself of the horrors that would ensue without those creepy little crawlers… Side note, I don’t actually remember what the horrors would be without spiders - can y’all remind me?

Lee T.

At least once a month for me. I don’t react to any bug bites but spiders light me up.

Lee T.

Omg and how did I forget about that movie until just now 🫣 — please, dadward, ask the ologist about that movie.

Isa Brillard

Spidies!! How long have they been kickin’ it on Earth? How far can they travel when they use their webs as parachutes? Why do certain species love to cohabitate with us humans?

Gretchen SG

One year we had an explosion of giant black and yellow garden spiders in our yard. I had never seen anything like it! They were everywhere. We haven’t seen that many in the yard again. Why were there hundreds of these things out in the open that one year and never again?

Hannah Matousek

Is there any evolutionary advantage to book lungs?

Erin Burbidge

Long-time arachnophobe, but I've really come to respect spiders, and I find some of them quite attractive (at a distance!) Are there any facts or stories you've found have helped other people come to appreciate how cool they are? Please share!

Andy Pepper

Do they know/are they surprised/what do they think about the adorable pet jumping spider trend??

Sam Nelson

Can jumping spiders really see the stars?

Mark Rovner

Can spiders distinguish between individual people?

KatieDid

I have no idea what that is, so I hope it gets covered!

Alli B

Great question. I also would like to know all the info on book lungs! How different is the structure of book lungs in larger, hairier spiders from the teeniest, tiniest little guys?

ALopez

Why are spiders such a common phobia?

KatieDid

FTQA 1. What other creatures are related to spiders that might surprise us? 2. What are the basics of how they reproduce and grow? Do any spiders hang out together or are they all solitary right away? What do baby spiders eat?

Alli B

Oh man, I would also like to know this, as a frequent spider re-homer!! Are they likely to try to re-enter the building they came from, or did they enter as wee bebes or via egg sac and now they are stuck outsidesy?

Alli B

Do spiders dump their dinner’s bodies out of their webs? I swear I have seen spiders in my kitchen with a small fly body one day and the next it’s gone, seemingly from the same web.

Alli B

How much and how often do spiders need to feed? Will they go whole hog on everything they catch in their web, like saving up for leaner, less insecty times?

Alli B

Do most spiders really spin a new web every day or is that only when their web has been damaged during its debut?

Blair C

Please ask this. This year I have dozens making it a challenge to navigate the garden!

Blair C

Please ask about bed spiders. I’ve been told mysterious bites are house spiders. Def not bedbugs.

Alli B

When I was in high school, I had a dream that water was trickling down my face, and I woke up to a spider dangling a few inches from my schnoz. Why was it on my face, and did I possibly interrupt it trying to find a warm hidey hole in my mouth?

The Merry Slav

Years ago I was bitten by a Brown Recluse (on my scrotum of all places!) I never developed any spidey powers. Does that mean it was probably not radioactive?

Melanie Metzger

How do I convince my family that me "saving" the spiders and relocating them outside the house, instead of outright squashing them, is a good thing? Spiders are my friends, but not theirs.

Mac

In Adrian Tchaikovsky’s sci-fi novel Children of Time, the unimpeded evolution of a few different arachnids is explored including how they’d build a society and what would become currency to them. Is there any speculative evolutionary theory about how spiders might evolve given time and a significant decrease in predators?

Allison

My 8 year old is wondering how they decide where to set up their web.

Channon Koty

Is it true only females make webs? Do spiders hear like we do? How long do most spiders live? Do jumping spiders make good pets?

Kiki’s Delivery Service

My 5th grade classroom had a lot of pets, including a gorgeous tarantula named Veronica. (She might have been a Grammostola rosea/porteri, but I couldn't tell you for sure.) I was obsessed with her and still think about her to this day. Sometimes we got to take home and "babysit" a pet for a weekend, and I was so flabbergasted as to why nobody else in the class wanted to hang out with Veronica! She was so sweet and such a beauty. So my question: why do spiders, and especially tarantulas, seem so particularly repulsive to the general population? There seem to be more snake and shark people, for example (both snakes and sharks are also excellent). But why so much spider hate?

Channon Koty

Do spiders have human friends?

Channon Koty

Why do some spiders string a single line across long distances? I often walk through them on my way to work in the morning and I feel bad for ruining their hard work.

Channon Koty

Are there spiders who can swim?

Kieran H

Why are there seasons when you find spiders inside more often? Are they really coming inside to get away from the elements?

Kieran H

I saw someone on the internet say that jumping spiders can recognize faces. Is this true? And if so, can other spiders recognize faces?

tamalamb

Do spiders have friends... is there a Charlotte and Wilbur duo out there...? is there a way i can befriend a spider? i.e. lure one into friendship with an offering of a fly...

Omennik

Can Lucas the Spider be a good starting character to introduce people with arachnophobia to friendly spiders?

The Joyful Spitfire

but why does Australian and New Zealand have THE BIGGEST spiders? Why?

The Joyful Spitfire

Thoughts on pet spiders - do they like or appreciate our companionship?

The Joyful Spitfire

A Lord of the Rings inspired question - Giant spiders….. were they a thing? How large? If so… do I wanna know if they can come back?

PopsicleEmperor

Do any spiders connect and bond with other spiders?

Scott Hanley

Which common North American house spider is best for fungal gnat patrol?

Colby Evans

Please mention the recent discovery of a spider using fireflies as bait for more fireflies - they bite the males in a certain way to mimic the light pattern of a female who's ready to get it on. Here comes lunch!

Colby Evans

Yeah, oldest specimen found would be fun to hear about

Colby Evans

I heard that there are actually very few deaths from widows - they were more common when people had outhouses and sat to do their business. The widow had a nice dark spot with lots of bugs sitting on the underside of the seat - that leads to a bite right where you don't want one

Tea Danilović

If spider species had specific magic powers, what would they be?

Tanner

Could a spider utilize a fake Halloween web for itself? Or are those fake webs getting in their way every year?

Staci Pinkowitz

Thoughts on calling spiders ‘bugs’ even though they’re not insects?

Caitlin Mellendorf

"Indoor" spiders vs outdoor ones. Will it survive if I take a spider living in a corner of my home outside?

Staci Pinkowitz

In my mind it’s like calling a tomato a vegetable which is technically wrong but the classification of vegetable is a social construct anyway. And it’s functionally correct

Andrew Pedersen

Why do you think so many people get the heebie jeebies from spiders?

Jet

Please talk about Stonehenge spiders! Do we have any insider info? New developments? I saw an article a handful of years ago and keep going back for more info that doesn't seem to exist yet. Which, fair! But I'm stil SO curious

Sadie Vipond

Do different types of spiders have different kinds of webs? Why? Also do you spend a lot of time staring at beautifully-constructed webs?

Bahdi_Phat

Is the "fur" on spiders the same as the fur on mammals?

Charlotte Fjelkegård

Same, but I don't hate them. Definitely on edge as soon as they start skittering along.

Becky Frey

What is the best way to handle a Texas brown tarantula and for a captive tarantula should you have a special enclosure outside of their habitat specifically for feeding?

JeFF Stumpo

On behalf of my 12-year-old son, Liam: 1. If you get bit by a brown recluse, how much anti-venom would it take to save you? 2. How many venomous spiders have you handled? 3. What do you think is the prettiest spider?

Scalebar

Silk glands? Where did they come from? What were they used for before silk evolved? Glue?

Deborah L Blanton

What do spiders know (see/hear/feel) and how do they know it? Thinking of jumping spiders, but really curious about all spiders. I swear they seem to evaluate my presence.

floraandthefaun

this!! do they evaluate sunshine, wind direction, proximity to blooming plants? i imagine it's all about location, location, location, right?!

Jeremy Hakes

What sort of testing/intelligence things have been done on/for spiders? From videos I've seen, it seems like they learn and some have individualistic behaviors.

Sarah Meaden

Please explain "spider season". In August in many parts of the US there seem to be a million spiders around. Is it breeding season? Dying season? Vacation season?

Blake Baird

Portia spiders are so stinking intelligent. How do they manage all their strategizing, trial and error, spatial memory and reasoning, etc? What gives them such superior intelligence to other spiders? Are they possibly sentient?

Blake Baird

Would you classify Portias as Darwinian, Skinnerian, Popperian, or Gregorian? What other spiders have these sorts of of super powers?

Lee Wang

I was thinking about Portias too! I remember reading about how their strategies of improving their depth perception and would love to hear more again. Also, has the Ologist read Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time and what they thought of it if they did?

Blake Baird

Have you read the Children of Time series by Adrian Tchaikovsky? How viable is the science of spider intelligence development given enough time?

Rachel Hartshorn

is it true that if you find a spider in your house it most likely adapted to live in doors and will likely die if you put it outside???????

Blake Baird

You should check out Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky. It's science fiction with a smidge of handwavium added (accelerated evolution) but it really dives deep into the cognition of Portia labiata and is very very good.

Michael Kovens

Is there a quick and easy way to tell if a spider is venomous or not? I always want to pick them up and play with them, but am always scared of misidentifying a dangerous one as safe.

Emma Fiori

I know there's been quite a lot of research into why the fear of snakes is so common and instinctual in humans and even apes. But is there any research into why arachnophobia is so common? And more importantly, how to overcome arachnophobia? Just seeing the word "S**D**S" in the Patreon email almost prevented me from opening it due to the creeps.

Rachel M

Have you seen Lucas the Spider? What do you think?

Rachel M

From an evolutionary standpoint, why so many legs

Rachel M

Do spider play a role in disease control because of how they catch insects that spread viruses? I’ve hears that bats do because they eat mosquitoes

MICHAEL ANDERSON

Is it true that Daddy-long-legs have the most toxic venom but no way to bite?

MICHAEL ANDERSON

What type of spider make cobwebs indoors? What are they eating? How can you persuade them to leave w/o poison?

Devyn

Where did the song itsy bitsy spider come from? Why do spiders have so many babies all at once? Do spiders ever cohabitate with other spiders? Are spiders gay? Why are ways to tell if a spider is poisonous/ venomous?

Elizabeth Edwards

I hate spiders but I'm asking for a friend who adores them (and I adore my friend, so I am willing to risk a non-consensual spider photo for her): "Am I ruining a spider’s dinner every time I walk through one of those giant webs that goes across the entire sidewalk? What do they do when a human destroys their web? Do they give up for the night, move to a new spot, immediately build a new web? I always feel guilty. I wish spiders could learn to make their webs higher. "

Megan Younce

Yessssss I've been wanting a spiders ep forever! I've heard we're not actually bitten by spiders in our sleep as much as we think we are, is that true? Also can we talk about the pink spiders? HOW?

Chris Whitman

Could the events of the 1990 film Arachnophobia happen? And if so, how do we clone John Goodman?

Ellie Wheeler

I have jumping spiders in my 6th floor apartment - they were there before we moved in during the tour! How do they manage to get so far up? Especially in a building where windows don’t open? What is the motivation? On a similar note, is there a specific motivation for why some spiders build their webs incredibly high up on buildings?

Ellie Wheeler

What kind of spider prey-catching ability is your favorite? (I.e. how ogre spiders are net-casters)

Earl of Greymalkin

1) Why this specific number of legs? Are there true spiders that have 6 legs? What happened to spider genetics that the body plan decided to make 8 legs? What other wild shit happened in spider evolution that defines funky adaptations? 2) How many corner spiders do I need to keep the ants out of my house? I assume if they live here they're eating something and therefore paying rent, but how long can they go without eating my home intruders for me? How many corner spiders is too many? 3) If leggies so skinny, how do they move? Some spiders have chunkier legs- are they proportionately stronger? How do their feet work to grip things? 4) How much do they need to eat to make a meter of silk? Is this an efficient process or energy intensive? Is that different for different species and lifestyles? 5) What do we know about spider emotions and cognitive processes? Can people wave hello and be on friendly terms with their garden friends or pet spiders? Can pet spiders be trained? 6) How is climate change affecting spider ecology? Is the range shifting for some of them? 7) Are there spiders in Antarctica? 8) BALLOONING: what the hell. It's genius. But a bit creepy when you're outside and the power lines are absolutely festooned and the wind is still blowing and something tickles you. What kinds of spideys fly? How far can they disperse? Are they going one by one or in groups? Do they fight each other mid-air? 9) Do spiders care about gravity? Earth's magnetic field? Can they use light to orient? How do they navigate spaces? How well do my corner spiders perceive and memorize where pieces of furniture are or keep an eye on what my cat is doing?

Erik K

How do they always get in my house?

Lucy Antonelli

i’m trying really really hard to like bugs…. i wanna like spiders. how to become friends with spiders?? also do they really sleep by “havin hot choclaty milk” as the meme suggests???

Jason Ganley

Why do some spiders have fur?

Jocelyn Alcantara-Garcia

I will not listen to this one... but I want to... I know they are fascinating creatures, and key to many ecological niches, and even pretty! But just hearing this "S" word brings shivers to my entire bod. Yup, arachnophobia is real. Maybe if the S word is bleeped I can (?) any chance that happen? I am sure it'll be a terrific episode.... but can't...

Stephen Lickman

I came here to ask the same question. As a long time listener of the podcast, I'm trying to change my attitude about spiders, but it is a struggle. Soon it will be that time of year when wolf spiders invade my basement, and I want to handle it better this year.

Tania Magic Fingers

Hi Emma, I use to have extreme arachnophobia. Couldn't even think of the word S......without freaking out. I did Behavioural therapy for it. One of the hardest things I've ever done. Now I'm the one rescuing the spider for the screaming person. :)

DreamTree CaliGirl

I have the same question!!! I live in California so it doesn't get super cold outside. Am I killing them slowly when I carefully take them out of my house?

DreamTree CaliGirl

How long does a typical California garden spider live (I think it was a type of orb spider)? I read it can be years in the right conditions--is this true?

Rachel McGill

Why are their butts so big? What’s in there???

Rachel McGill

Are spiders the only organism that makes webs?

Tania Magic Fingers

Oh this is so exciting. What kind of social structure do the social ones have? What causes some species to be loners and others join mass communities? How varied are their living environments ie, trapdoor, burrows, webs... Can all spiders swim/survive being in water/floods? How long can they live off the trapped air bubble if flushed down the bath plughole? Has the ologist ever tried the Cheese wit Spiders legs in it? Plus all of the questions from other Patrons above and below me :)

James Jakes

What are the chances that a spider I randomly encounter will bite me? And what are the chances that bite could kill me? I'm trying to provide precise statistics to my girlfriend who thinks every spider is out to get her.

Emily Burns

Why do jumping spiders sometimes raise their leg up like they’re waving at you? 🥹

Emily Burns

Does it bother you that the “spider” used in the 3rd Harry Potter movie classroom scene is actually a scorpion? It drives me nuts!!!

Kelsey lore

Why are they so scary? By all accounts, they shouldn't be as scary as they are to so many people.

Corrie Navis

I recently moved and have been eagerly trying to befriend all the jumping spiders that live around my new back patio. Some seem to really want to climb ON me-- even when I need to go back inside, it's hard to convince them to return to another surface. What are they after? Do they enjoy my mammalian body heat, or do they just really want to become friends as much as I do?

Hailee Kirby

I heard a myth that people unknowingly eat spiders in their sleep. Its this true? Will spiders crawl into our mouths as we sleep? Or is this just in irrational fear?

ReigningEmily

I’m curious about the vast difference in spider silk tensile strength. Some strands are barely a whisper. On the other hand there is a spider who lives in Louisiana with me (I don’t know which one) that has web strands that go from a tree to the ground that don’t break when I accidentally walk straight into it.

Trista Algar

ftqa (within the deadline😅) Where do spiders go in the winter? Also, my girlfriend wants to know if there are cannibal spiders??

Jasmine Tsai

First time question asker here! Why is it about spiders that make them so scary?! And are humans the only ones that find them scary? What about other animals?

Hannah Gorrie

Can some spiders be aggressive towards people? I swear I've had wolf spiders charge me (and it works, I run away)

Hannah Gorrie

What other species are spiders closely related to?

Hannah Gorrie

Is it really kinder to put a spider outside rather than kill it? Am I subjecting it to a terrible death outside?

Nathan Marion

What are the biggest web dwelling spiders and what are the biggest spider webs?

Vanessa Adams

Can different species of spiders communicate with each other?

Alessandra Kempson

I live in the Ottawa (Ontario, Canada) which is in the Ottawa Valley, and it seems like we have so many spiders here in comparison to other parts of Ontario that I've lived in, even though I lived right near the woods in Northern Ontario. Does the increased humidity in the valley benefit the spiders? What other factors could contribute to the spider population being higher in an urban area vs the rural area I used to live in? Could it be that the rural area had more natural habitats for spiders so that they didn't need to live inside my house??

Vanessa Adams

I loved this book too, and think about this often! How cool would it be for this to happen (but I’m fine to not be there to see it)

Amanda

What’s the proper protocol for a spider bite?

Vanessa Adams

Are there any spiders that have been known to communicate with other species? What’s the “smartest” type of spider?

Dane Camacho

How many have u kissed?? asking for a spider friend😳

Neries virens

Jumping spiders seem really inquisitive and smart. Are other spiders considered smart? What makes jumping spiders seem so smart, is it just anthropomorphism?

Stephanie

As a person who spends a decent amount of time outside, in the morning, how the HECK do I remove spider web from my body after accidentally walking through it?

K8 Rouse

I live in Georgia, and for the past 2 years I've seen invasive Giant Joro spiders all around my house and backyard. I don't mind them because I think they're really cool and they catch a lot of mosquitos for me, but I wonder whether I should be removing them because they're invasive. When I look it up it seems that the jury's still out on their impact to the environment, but they are expected to keep spreading throughout the eastern US. What are your thoughts on giant Joro spiders in the US? How worried should we be about their impact to the environment? Last year I had a giant female nearly the size of my palm set up her web on my porch. I named her Beyonce and she had a mate who lived with her on her web that was 1/3 her size. While I enjoyed observing her and it seemed there were plenty of mosquitos to go around, I also wondered how much their presence would impact and outcompete other native orb weavers.

Ellie Golding

I watched a video (yes, a tiktok, sue me) yesterday that said Spiders are evolving to be quicker & better at hiding because humans kill so many of them.. I live in Australia & we just don't need that. They're quick enough okay. Please say it isn't so.

Zoe Litton

Is it true that daddy long legs are poisonous?

Erin Bagley

Why are so many people afraid of spiders?

Ja Jo: Art & Craft

Do they remember us? Are they capable revenge or are we just annoying and in the way?

The Merry Slav

My wife wants to know: if you find one Black Widow, are there likely to be a lot more in the area, or are they more solitary?

Elie Zwiebel

Other than Aragog, which lil buddy is the oldest spider?

Andrea Brenner

First time question asker: On a walk, I saw a spider take her web down, bundle it up, and scurry off with it. What was she doing?

Cat Lady

Is it ethical to keep spiders as pets, assuming their tank has everything they "need"? I always feel bad for them because even though their human provides them with everything they need to live, I worry that they're being starved of exploring the world outside of those walls :(

PerryC

How is it that jumping spiders are so cool. They seem to be curious and interact with me. Are they smart or just fast and cautious?

Flozzatron

Why is the fear of spiders so intense and common while fear of other insects less so?

Flozzatron

My boyfriends says if you sneeze on a tarantula it shoots hairs into your eyes, this sounds ridiculous is it true?

Heather Leonard

I have a lot of Brown Widows around me but when I looked up to see if they're venomous the answer was yes but they're more timid about releasing the venom so they're usually not as bad. What makes one spider more or less timid with its venom?

Heather Leonard

Follow-up. I live in an apartment in east-central Florida, why is my building's hallway FULL of Brown Widows and other spiders. It's actually pretty diverse. I would've thought the hallway would have been too busy for them.

Heather Leonard

Whenever I go hiking, I get a face full of spider webs. How can I avoid this? I feel bad about destroying their webs. What are the chances that they're going to hitch a ride on me?

Mouse Paxton

Why are people so scared of spiders? Do you feel this fear is exaggerated/overblown in media? How can we help people overcome their fear? Why do some spiders make webs and others do not? How scary are black widows? Some people keep them as pets, is that a good idea? Do jumping spiders make good pets? How smart are spiders? What are your thoughts on the spiders in Minecraft?

Olivia Lester

How do spider venoms differ? What's the difference between them being venomous v. poisonous? I looked it up and sites seem to be using them interchangeably even though there's a difference... What's the difference between an itchy mosquito bite and an itchy spider bite? What is the spectrum of mechanisms and reactions to spider bites? Is every web unique to the species of spider? The individual? Or is a style collective to a species? How do they design their homey webbing? How do they find their way back to it? How far do they wander from it? Why wander from it if it's the only/main source of food? Mating? Better feeding opportunities? What are some uses humans have found from spider webs? Holistic? Physics? New applications? Can spiders vocalize? Is there any body language or behavior I can perceive as aggression or any other emotion?

The Farming Linguist

Is it really true that they are more scared of us than we are of them

Emily Totero

What exactly is a spider web? What are they made of and how do they work?

RobinR

Is there a natural way of discouraging a spider from taking up residence in the corner of your ceiling?

Anna

why are almost all spiders scary but i wanna cuddle jumping spiders?? they’re soooo cute

Kent Durvin

How do spider eyes differ from insect eyes?

Chris Allen

So excited about this!! I had recommended a couple arachnologists, not sure if its one of them but either way I cant wait! my question is: How does genetic diversity play a role in spider populations? My area of interest is Tarantulas and I wonder does inbreeding occur naturally in isolated populations/dense population zones of species?

Chris Allen

I fucking love this book its amazing! also being a huge spider and sci-fi nerd i will say Tchaikovsky really did his research well! Portia has always been one of my favorite Salticids!

Avren Keating

Seconding this question! I'm trying to do the right thing, but I may be subjecting them to a slow death instead?

Organic Free-Range Lily

1. Why are so many people scared of spiders, as opposed to other bugs/insects? What specifically about spiders scares them - the number of legs, the speed, etc? 2. Is agoraphobia cultural/regional, or is it universal? Growing up in Russia, I never once met anyone who feared spiders. Either there was no agoraphobia in Siberia (and yes, we did have spiders), or people kept it quiet out of fear of ridicule. Are Americans the most agoraphobic people in the world? :P 3. Spider silk is super-strong, and that's been known for quite a while - but how come it hasn't gotten synthetically mass-produced? Why aren't there spider-weave bicycle helmets or body armor on the shelves? Will we ever see stuff like that?

Raja

How can I help others to not be so creeped out by spiders? I want spiders to get all the lovin'! (Re name pronounciation: Raja rhymes with papaya)

Danielle Sucher

Questions from my 5yo: * Why can't spiders fly? * Why do spiders have to make webs? * Why do spiders need protein?

Danielle Sucher

Have you read Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky? Is it a realistic prediction of what might happen if we genetically uplifted spiders? Why or why not?

Felix Cosmo

FTQA, LTL Can spiders sense your fear? If so does this make them more likely to bite you?

gilliansmith

Do spiders have bad eye site? I watch daddy long legs and they use these 2 longer legs to feel around their surroundings, is that because of their eye site?

Natalie Parsons

I love my spidery friends and it really hurts to have to move them on when I have to clean or paint, worse when I find their little egg sacs in the window frame and worse. What can I do to move them on safely and if I move an egg sac will it be ok or do I have to wait for it to hatch until I shut the window? I have shown my children and grandchildren their undeniable beauty but it doesn't always work to alleviate their fears. Their loss.

Natalie Parsons

I used to love watching the huntsman spiders who lived in the wallpaper around the top of my bedroom running around chasing each other, the paper was peeling and they seemed to have made homes behind. They were a delight to watch scampering after each other only to stop at an invisible line which I assume was the edge of the no-mans land between their plots. Is it possible to have spiders “free-range” around the house coming to feed and sleep in one area? I feel I would be unhappy to cage them or are we sure of their contentment being contained? I am so excited for this episode, spiders are so amazing but people have the dumbest reaction to them. I have been shunned by someone who ever after called me “Spiderwonan” with a shudder purely because I allowed one of the largest house spiders (quite harmless to non-flies) to crawl up my arm and onto my face. I love the way their tiny feet grip and release. I have never had a bite or otherwise negative reaction, except for the dumb human ones.

Euan Munro

My wife is convinced that spiders are plotting against her. Is she wrong, and if she's right what should we do?

joesyourmom

Can you please explain the various constructions and functions of different web formations? Do all spiders have webs? 🕸️🕷️🤘🏻

Sarah Morcom

One time my partner and I saw a daddy long legs spider dancing in time with the music (bobbing up and down). Can spiders hear/sense vibrations? Or was it a coincidence that it was bobbing in time with the music?

Marianne Thomas

What eats cellar spiders? I believe they're invasive here in the UK. They're currently invasive in my house. While I think most spiders are super cool, there's something about the leg-to-body ratio that my monkey brain considers unacceptable. Is there some kind of wasp I can sick on them, or am I doomed to a lifetime of checking the ceiling before I get in the shower?

Marianne Thomas

This is such a beautifully specific statement. I love it!

Marianne Thomas

Had you just said something to offend her?

Marianne Thomas

I feel your pain. This morning I got some on my eyelids 😅

Marianne Thomas

That's such a great question! Never thought about it & now I'm so curious!

Marianne Thomas

They come to my house. Happy I could help 😭

Katelyn Schwartz

Do spiders that live on the ceiling know we are here? Are they as scared of us as we are of them?

Eric Masterton

Our sailboat is about 800 feet from the shore and is covered with spiders in the summer time. I sweep them off when we get under sail and see none in sight when we leave the boat but, a couple of days later they are back in the same numbers. How do they get there?

Marlis Cheeseophile

How the heck do spiders manufacture silk? What's the mechanism in there? Does it tax their little spider bodies? Does what they eat factor into their silk production? At what age do they start spinning? Are they born knowing how to weave webs? I presume they aren't trained by mommas, but not sure.

Claire Maurer

How can I make them live outside or generally not crawl across my ceiling where I am sitting trying to ignore them?

rowantree

FTQA - why do they make me so scared when they are tiny and I am big and they do such good things for the environment!!

Aven

Why do they just drop on your face? You’d think they would want to avoid a big moving creature but they seem to like to drop or crawl right on you

Rachel Prestayko

How are spiders impacted by caffeine? I've heard they'll make messed up webs as a result.

Gia Capra

Why for the love of god do they have so many knees? It's not that I hate them but I definitely do not like them. All the joints make me nauseous I have no idea why

Keerat Singh

I’m about to move to the PNW and I’ve been told spooky stories about “spider season” over there. What causes giant spiders to take over Seattle apartments in the early fall? Is there anything you can do to make your place less appealing to the spiders?

Hailey

Why are some spiders (jumping spiders, smaller tarantulas) so cute to me while others like wolf spiders terrify me? I respect them all but some of them are in my nightmares

Mini Minnie

Do spiders have personalities?

Coreen “the climate communicator” Weilminster

Also I need to say here for the record that I have come a long way in my journey to love spiders. From a kid who once launched herself, hyperventilating, from a fast moving catamaran to avoid a spider on the boat to someone who now carefully collects them out of the shower or kitchen or other “harms way” location to make sure they don’t get trounced. I do so admire them.

Dad jokes crack me up

Why do they terrify me? If they were rendered huge by some event, would they rule the world? Are the passive ones sending out some sort of vibration invitation to their prey ? Why do the giant ones come at me?? They could walk the other way but they don’t…. Are they little creatures with big Napoleon complexes??

Aspen Brown

ALIE!! I loved this episode so much and made me think of the graphic novel Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp - you would LOVE it. Trust me. And please do an episode on cursed bogs.