Since times prehistoric, ever since the human species developed
the sense of comparison and an eye for form, all spiders, with
a resemblance to the big, hairy, ugly creatures reputed to be
poisonous and now generally known by the name “tarantula,” have
been the victims of the crushing heel.
I think it can be said that there never has been one absolutely
authentic case of spider bite. The so-called spider bites
received occasionally, and generally in early summer, often in
bed, are inflicted by certain bloodsucking insects of several
species, large and small. The mandibles of the average-sized
spiders are hardly powerful enough to pierce the human skin, and
all of the poison contained in an arachnid’s glands, injected
into the flesh of a human being, will not make as much fuss
as a respectable bee-sting. Moreover, spiders are not mammal
blood-suckers, and wouldn’t bite if they could. So much for the
negative qualities of spiders.
If it were not for the spiders we should all promptly starve
to death. Perhaps this is a little startling; it is none the
less true. To enlarge upon it, certain spiders prey upon
certain caterpillars, regularly inhabit their abodes, and kill
so many of them that often whole colonies of the insects are
wiped out of existence. These caterpillars normally feed upon
the leaves of trees, bushes, and shrubs, frequently denuding a
plant entirely. If they were plentiful enough to exhaust their
common food they would turn to the weeds and grasses. Without
check of any kind they would overrun the earth and destroy
every green and growing thing. The spiders beautifully preserve
the balance of nature. Kill all the spiders and mankind is
doomed.--_Collier’s Weekly._
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