15 Reasons Why Spiders Are Important

The spider has been around since dinosaurs roamed the earth and will likely be on this planet for many years to come. They are one of the most misunderstood and maligned creatures on the planet.

These eight-legged arachnids play a vital role in our environment as predators, scavengers, and pollinators. In fact, they can be found everywhere from your home to parks all around the world! In this post, we’ll explore why spiders are important.

15 Benefits Of Spiders You Should Know

Spiders are creepy and crawly, but they have a very important job to do. They help keep the insect population in check! In doing so, spiders also help control pests that can harm humans, such as mosquitoes and ticks. Spiders eat insects for food – it’s what they do best!

1. Spider Bite Can Save From Deadly Disease

Spiders do not seek to bite humans, but they may mistake a human for prey if they get close enough. Did you know a spider bite can actually save your life? Most people are afraid of spiders, but even when they’re venomous, these eight-legged creatures shouldn’t be feared. In fact, in some cases, a spider bite can help fight off deadly diseases.

A bite from the Chilean recluse spider can cure or prevent a potentially fatal disorder that causes organ failure!

As far as scientists know, the protein in this spider’s venom does not attack healthy cells or tissue, so it’s unlikely to have any negative effects.

A spider bite can also be used to fight off necrotizing fasciitis, a common flesh-eating disease that has no known cause and is difficult to treat. If not treated quickly, this condition can result in death. However, the venom from the brown recluse spider contains a protein that can stop the growth of anaerobic bacteria, which is what causes this disease.

Why Spiders Are Important - Benefits and Significance

2. Spiders Are A Great Pest Control

Every creature has a job to do and spiders are no exception. Spiders are essential for check-and-balance since they eat insects for food. They are known as predators and do their job well!

In fact, a spider can eat up to 600 pests in its lifetime. So if you happened to have a black widow living in your yard, you might not want to kill it because it’s one of the most effective pest control measures around!

While most spider bites are harmless, some can be dangerous if not treated properly. Some spiders have venom that may cause more serious reactions in some individuals. Such reactions are rare. If you get bitten, seek medical attention immediately to avoid more serious complications.

3. Spiders Can Be Beneficial To Your Garden

Spider webs are incredibly strong and can be used to create clothing or sticky traps for insect pests. Spiders can also help pollinate plants in your garden by carrying pollen from one plant to another on their bodies. They also eat some types of plant pests, such as aphids, mealybugs, and scale insects.

To survive, spiders depend on a vast array of live prey. In turn, they are an important part of the vital ecosystem required for healthy soil. The creatures that spiders eat also help to break down organic matter in the dirt, creating nutrient-rich soil for plants.

4. Spiders Can be Beneficial Pollinators

Spiders can also help pollination! They do this by transferring pollen from male flowers to females as they move around.

Since spiders are not the best pollinators, they need something to hold on to, like another plant’s petals. Some of the most popular plants that use this method are tomatoes, pumpkins, and watermelons!

5. Spiders Benefits Crops

Agriculture is a critical component of human civilization. Crops are required to feed both humans and animals. Fields are full of caterpillars and aphids that might harm the crops. Spiders help keep the numbers of harmful insects in check.

Since most spiders are carnivorous, they eat lots of pests that can hurt your crops or garden. This is why it’s best to leave these creatures alone if they happen to move into your yard. They might also be used to create better and safer pesticides.

6. Spiders Can Be Keepers Of The Night

A group of spiders is called a ‘clutch’ and some can even change colors to blend in. To capture prey, they have been known to lure flying insects by creating fake versions of their webs.

Spiders might be scary, but they do plenty of good in the night. Research has found that spiders consume many nocturnal insects, such as moths and crickets.

For this reason, it is best to leave these beneficial creatures alone because if you kill them, you could end up with a bug problem.

7. Spiders Are Vital To Human Health

A spider’s venom is normally meant for its prey, but in rare cases, it may cause an allergic reaction when bitten.

Even though some spiders are known to be poisonous, their venom can be used for medical purposes. The venom of big spiders can cause cancer cells to die without hurting healthy human cells.

Some studies claim that spiders may even help cure diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

8. Spiders Control The Spread Of Infections

Spiders can be found on land, in water, and some are even airborne! Some drop silk to act as parachutes while flying through the air.

Spiders can help kill insects that carry diseases, such as mosquitoes and moths. Spiders roam around our homes helping control these bothersome bugs.

Fleas, flies, and cockroaches can spread typhoid, cholera, and other diseases. Mosquitoes are also responsible for the transmission of diseases (like malaria) that kill more people each year than any other animal. Spiders’ webs are very successful in capturing tiny insects and slowing the spread of disease.

9. Spider Venom Treats Medical Conditions

Spiders have venom that can be used to treat certain medical conditions. Black widow venom, for instance, is being used for pain management. Spider venom is being used to help regulate blood sugar in people with diabetes.

Even though spiders’ poison may seem like a bad thing, it’s extremely helpful when used properly. One type of spider, the Brazilian wandering spider, is the most venomous in the world. Scientists are trying to extract its powerful poison to create new medicine for people with severe pain and Parkinson’s.

10. Spiders Offer An Excellent Source Of Protein

We all know about chicken eggs being a source of protein, but did you know that spiders give us a source of protein too?

Spiders can be eaten! In fact, they are an excellent source of protein and other nutrients.

Spiders are a great source of protein and can be used in a plethora of dishes.

11. Spider Venom Can Replace Opiate

Spider venom from the Brazilian wandering spider, for example, is being studied as a painkiller alternative to opiates without the addiction and brain fog that opioids cause. Some studies show that people’s reactions to spider venom are not much different from their reactions to morphine.

Yale University released research in 2014 that described how to sort through millions of spider poisons and identify the most suitable for painkilling medications. Tarantula venom molecules produced promising results.

12. Spider Silk Is An Amazing Material

Spider silk is the most durable, flexible natural biomaterial known to humanity. A study suggests that it’s five times stronger than steel! It also offers several other advantages over other materials, such as flexibility and elasticity.

It has been used to make bandages for centuries, and researchers in the United Kingdom have discovered how to load silk bandages with antibiotics.

This unique substance has prompted research into creating synthetic silk to use in commercial products. The golden orb spider’s webs are strong enough to catch bats and birds, and a cloak was supposedly made entirely of their silk.

13. Spiders Can Be Used In Inks And Paints

Spiders in particular can be used to create beautiful inks and paints. Spiders are being applied for use in art because their webs can create beautiful patterns and designs. Once they die, spiders produce very durable and strong threads that artists love using.

14. Spiders Silk Inspire Engineering Innovations

Spider silk is an amazing material. It’s one of the strongest materials on earth, and its elasticity rivals that of rubber bands. One study found that spider silk could be used as an environmentally friendly alternative to commercial single-use plastic.

Spiders’ silk, which is more durable than Kevlar (a fiber used in bulletproof vests), has inspired new ways for scientists to create synthetic materials like plastics and carbon fibers.

15. Spiders Are Vital To Ecosystems

Spiders can be found on every continent except Antarctica, they are most common in Australia. They maintain a delicate balance in ecosystems and without them, harmful insect populations could explode and wreak havoc on forests and other plant life.

It’s worth noting that spiders and other invertebrates, which are animals without spines, account for 98 percent of all animal species. They are crucial to ecosystems; without them, the other 98% of vertebrates would not be able to survive.

Importance Of Spiders – Conclusion

Spiders are an important part of nature because they are not only predators themselves but also prey for other organisms. They are necessary to the environment, helping to control insects that are harmful to humans.

So the next time you spot a creepy-crawly crawling across your floor or see one perched on top of a web outside your window, don’t scream and freak out!

Because of their ability to spin silk, the potential uses for spider venom are becoming more widely known.

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Nimra Basit

A sophomore in engineering, I’m a budding writer and an adventure enthusiast. My passion leads me on to try my hands on different things. I enjoy music, food, and good company. Making my way through life in my own ways, you’ll find me holding a camera and capturing what this world has to offer.