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Six Interesting (And Funny) Facts About Spiders

For Houstonians that have been suffering through the scorching Texas summer, fall can’t come any sooner. The changing of the colors, the cooler but not frigid temperatures, pumpkin spice everything, and of course chili season, are reasons enough to cheer—fall brings something else that not too many people other than Houston pest control experts are wild about—spiders!

Yes, those eight-legged sources of many phobias, and for good reason (brown recluse anyone?) come back every fall to begin their mating ritual that could very well be a show on ABC akin to the bachelor.

Right around the beginning of fall, male spiders leave their dank and awfully decorated nests to seek out the fairer of the species in search of a girlfriend (hopefully they got the BOLO about that Black Widow chick.) Apparently, the word on the [ahem] “webs” is that female spiders are comfortable in our homes, so males make their way into yours trying to make a love connection.

Now, even though this often-feared breed of arachnids can be a paralyzing nightmare for those who suffer from arachnophobia, spiders are actually wildly interesting and have some quirks that might make you just want to pick one up and cuddle with it… Ok, maybe we’re getting a little carried away here but you get the point—spiders are fascinating! Don’t believe us? I mean, we are Houston pest control experts so hear us out and check out these cool facts you may not have known about spiders.

6 SPIDER FACTS THAT YOU PROBABLY DON’T KNOW—BUT SHOULD

Spiders Are Found Everywhere!

Arachnophobes—stop reading NOW.
For the rest of you it might also freak you out but—maintain your calm, it’s not as bad as it sounds. Major research studies on the behavior and migration patterns of spiders have suggested that humans are always within a mere 10 feet of a spider. As Houston pest control experts with decades of experience—we believe it.

The fact that you don’t always see them and this fact is hard to believe, should give you a reasonto remain calm. Most of the time, said spiders are buried away in their nooks and crannies tending to their own business, waiting for a spider-sized snack. That human-eating spider you see right after Sharknadoon the SyFy channel at 2 amis laughable fiction. Spiders want nothing to do with you probably more than you want nothing to do with them. They eat pesky bugs like bed bugs, mosquitoes, flies and a whole host of insects that are undesirable. So, maybe dare we say—spiders could be the best roommates ever? No? Ok, but you’ll pay $17 bucks to watch Spiderman on a 70-foot IMAX screen—but we digress. Just remember when you feel that creepy crawly feeling on your back when asleep, is not a spider looking to bite you—you’re just a bridge to the crevice behind your bed in the baseboard, that’s all. Sleep tight and sweet dreams, after writing this we’ll be up all night with a flashlight. Oh, the thingsthe writers here at Champions do for our customers!

There Are Tons Of Different Species Of Spiders

Like most insects,spiders are just a name for a wide spectrum of species that fall under that name. Spiders can be found in all different combinations of markings, body shapes, sizes, unique features and special abilities—know we don’t mean hanging upside down to snag a kiss from Kirsten Dunst.

There are well over 30,000 unique species of spiders in the world, and that’s not including undiscovered species which scientists believe there could be thousands more. One of the most unique characteristics of some spiders in Houston? A vertical leap of over 50 times their body length.

Great News! Not All Spiders Are Deadly

Sure there are some spiders that havesome truly potent venom that can really wreak havoc on your body—but those spiders are actually the minority. Most spiders, believe it or not, will not bite humans at all and even if they do incidentally— their venom if they have any, causes no more damage than a mere mosquito bite. And no matter how creepy the spider looks even if they’re blue and red—you’re not going to be shooting webs from your wrist after a tiny bite from these harmless arthropods.

Female Spiders Are Savage In Their Appetite

This doesn’t bode well for the unsuspecting males, unfortunately. Under some circumstances, and depending on the species—female spiders will dine on a male spider before, during and/or after mating! Talk about bad blood, there’s not a breakup song Taylor Swift can write like that!

Some Male Spiders Think They Got Moves Like Jagger

Ok, right now you think we are up at 3 am writing this on our fourth Mountain Dew—and you would be CORRECT! However don’t let our lack of sleep and caffeine-fueledblogs distract you from this very true fact—some male spiders dance, disco specifically.

The male peacock spider, or Maratus volans, for fellow science geeks— do a little dance to spread a little love in hopes to get down with female spiders. The dance they perform hilariously looks like the obligatory YMCA dance from the Village People. The vibrant colored markings on their abdomen add to the performance but there’s a serious risk involved.

If the spider has two, or—four left feet and doesn’t do the dance right—the female will attack and possibly kill or eat him for his poor execution. We’re Houston pest control experts, not talent judges on Americas Got Talent—but we think a simple, Simon-esque“that was abysmal” would’vesufficedright?

 Spider Silk Is Crazy Strong

We’ve all been there, walking back to your car in a parking lot and boom you walk through a spider web. You start flailing your arms spitting out of your mouth and pulling the web off of your face usually while doing some kind of crazy dance. The thing is, nobody sees the web—they just see you convulsing and spazzing out like you’re having an episode. Good times, right?

Did you know that even though it seems virtually invisible at times, spider silk—the substance that comprises a spider web, is actually incredibly strong.It may seem very weak and easy to break, but that is only because of how thin the strands are.

Spider silk is actually a little over five times stronger than a strand of steel that is woven in the same thickness. Let that sink in for a moment. That means that theoretically, a web of spider silk strands as thick as a pencil could, in fact, stop an airplane at full speed. In fact, some defense researchers are looking for ways to incorporate spider silk or synthesize it to make ultra-lightweight bullet-proof “skin” for combat soldiers.

STILL NOT WILD ABOUT THE SPIDERS CRASHING AT YOUR PLACE?

If spiders are just too much for you no matter how cool they may seem, we completely understand. After all, if they didn’t look scary, Hollywood wouldn’t make scary movies about them and Halloween wouldn’t be quite the same. So, to be a little more than freaked out at an infestation or even just recurring eight-legged roamers in your living room is completely natural.

At Champions Pest Control, we are the Houston pest control experts that understand your fears or concerns about spiders and other pests and we’re here to give you peace of mind. If you have a pest problem we have the pest solution. Give us a call today to schedule your home visit and let us show you how we can rid your home of those unwanted pests.

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