Yesterday evening, MBHI staff gathered in the Roxy annex to take in a bug-themed movie during our monthly staff meeting. We selected Arachnophobia, a 1990 Steven Spielberg thriller about a highly invasive venomous spider that invades a small southern California town. I’ve met several folks who attribute their fear of spiders to this classic Spielberg flick, and while the science isn’t egregiously wrong (they at least refer to them as venomous, not poisonous), it’s certainly not good PR for spiders. And spiders could use a little help in that department. Spiders are subject to myths regarding toxicity, aggressiveness, and behavior. Many of these myths have persisted for generations, and spider experts often face staunch opposition when trying to set the record straight. However, the general public is not entirely at fault for their persistence.
In a recently published study, researchers collected global data from newspaper articles reporting on spider-human interactions. They found that 47% of the articles contained misinformation, and 43% contained sensationalist language about spiders. However, the researchers found that sensationalism decreased when a spider expert was consulted. Note that I said spider expert, not medical expert or pest control professional.
Unfortunately, one of the drivers behind spider myths and sensationalism is rampant misidentification by medical experts and pest control professionals. Spider identification is notoriously tricky; many arachnologists will tell you that identification by color or patterning is not sufficient. But because most people—medical professionals included—are unaware of the incredible diversity of spiders, specimens are often misidentified as highly venomous species when they are completely benign. These misidentifications often lead to undeservedly bad reputations. For an example, look no further than the brown recluse.
The brown recluse is notorious. Their venom contains necrotizing agents that can cause devastating symptoms in bite victims. And if you take the word of the general public, you could assume brown recluse spiders are not only aggressive but widespread across the US. Neither of these assumptions are true.
The brown recluse ranges from the southeast to south-midwestern US. Yet, medical professionals in the northwest and even Canada have diagnosed necrotic lesions in their patients as the result of a brown recluse bite. The consequences of such misdiagnoses are more severe than just contributing to an already bad reputation. A 2008 study found cases where so-called “spider bites” were later found to be cancer, Lyme disease, and MRSA. Such misdiagnoses can delay proper care and have lifelong ramifications. Not to mention the economic losses; look no further than the multiple cases where someone accidentally burned their house down attempting to kill a spider.
Spielberg once said that he regretted the effect his 1975 film Jaws had on the public’s perception of sharks; I wonder if he feels the same about Arachnophobia?