🕷️ NEW: Writer Laura Kiniry examined how #medieval communities in southern #Italy danced for days to treat wolf #spider bites.
Modern arachnologists note the local spider species produces venom no stronger than a #bee sting, meaning heat, dehydration, and collective #anxiety drove the frantic movements. Over time, the exhausting #ritual transformed into the celebratory folk #traditions seen today.
👉 https://www.popsci.com/science/tarantella-history-spider-bite/
#history #biology #science #culture #folklore #psychology #nature #dance #invertebrates #arachnids