They say that when you kill a spider, it rains. However, everyone seems to kill these creatures anyway - they are thought to be worthless compared to "cute and fuzzy" animals. I'm here to say that there's more to the animal kingdom than wolves, horses, and snow leopards.
Spider Conservation in the U.S.
Spiders, like many other invertebrates, have traditionally suffered a lack of attention from conservation professionals and the general public....However, when viewed as an assemblage, spiders may play an important role in stabilizing or regulating insect populations because they are one of the most numerous insectivores and exhibit a wide variety of lifestyles and foraging strategies...Additionally, spiders are an important food source for birds, lizards, wasps and other animals. In a study of trunk arthropods, spiders provided a relatively constant food source throughout the year for bark-gleaning birds (Peterson et al. 1989). Hogstad (1984) demonstrated that spiders were a primary winter food source for goldcrests (Regulus regulus). Also, spider silk is important to bird species for nest building; 24 of 42 families of passerine birds and nearly all species of hummingbird depend on silk from spiders and caterpillars for nest construction (Hansel 1993).
Yeah, that's right, spiders matter. They're not just there to creep you out, they are an integral part of the ecosystem. If they were to disappear completely, it's liable the entire food chain in some regions could break down. When apex predators die out, things get messed up and the prey flourishes, but things are liable to stabilize. When the prey dies out, the predators go with them, taking out an entire group of links in the food chain so that stabilization takes much longer. Think of it like a stack of oranges. The oranges on bottom are probably pretty bruised and not as beautiful as the ones on top, but if you take one from the bottom, the entire stack tumbles, because those oranges support it.
A major obstacle for spider conservation is a lack of public support, possibly due to fears and ignorance. For example, in a survey asking whether participants would favor the protection of an endangered spider if it meant increased costs to an energy development project, only 34% of those surveyed said yes, while a bird, cougar, crocodile, plant, and snake fared more favorably (Kellert 1986). Fears can be addressed through pointing out that only a few easily identifiable species pose a threat to humans. By stressing beauty and interesting behaviors and qualities, attitudes towards these invertebrates may change (Robinson 1991).
Spiders can in fact be beautiful. Unless you're an arachnophobe (which most people aren't, even though they think they are
- you just need to get past the eight legs and too many eyes creep-out factor), there are actually many very striking specimens.
See! Fuzzy and colorful! And look at those adorable toes!
8D 8D 8D
Currently Endangered/Vulnerable Species
Spruce-fir moss spider (Microhexura montivaga)
Dolloff cave spider (Meta dolloff)
Fen Raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius)
Kauai cave wolf spider (Adelocosa anops)
Katipo (Latrodectus katipo)
Mexican Redknee Tarantula (Brachypelma smithi)
Any other spider lovers around here? 8D I can't possibly be the only one.
P.S. Scorpions are awesome, too. Arachnids and insects in general are just completely underrated.
~sparkle~
