#arachnophobia — Public Fediverse posts

An #orbweaver #spider (#Zygiella #xnotata) in front of a #window in #Berlin. I highlighted the spider's #characteristic #outline: Is #arachnophobia #innate? According to D. H. Rakison et al. (2008), #infants possess an #evolutionarily acquired mechanism for #spiderrecognition. V. LoBue et al. (2010) show that while the #fear itself is #notinnate, the readiness to learn it quickly is.
©#StefanFWirth

references
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2007.07.022
https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721410388801

#photos
©S.F.Wirth, 2026

Biophobia: people’s aversion to nature

"Evidence suggests that biophobia is a growing trend in many parts of the world. Ironically, this trend has emerged during a time when increasing people’s biophilia has become a critical challenge for ensuring the sustainability of the human relationship with nature. As highlighted in this review, biophobia can harm public health and undermine conservation, but lacks unified research. Although foundational theories and concepts have been established, a deeper and interdisciplinary understanding of the manifestations, drivers, and feedback loops associated with the human aversion to nature is urgent." >>
Toward a unified understanding of people’s aversion to nature: biophobia >>
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fee.70019
#nature #biodiversity #conservation #phobias #BioPhobia #dendrophobia #arachnophobia #NatureAnxiety #wildlife #climate

Image: Iconic Bellingen stump on widened North Bank Road

Nosferatu The Spider

When I see spiders in nature they don't bother me but when I see a large Nosferatu spider waiting in ambush in the stairway/hall it makes me deeply uncomfortable.

If you're hiking on snow, in April, in Switzerland, you will often see hundreds of spiders crawling across the snow. It doesn't bother me. If you do the Via Ferrata Illuminé on the Moléson you will see plenty of spiders as well. It doesn't bother me either. It's in nature and they have every right to be there. It's their natural environment.

The spider above the neighbour's door is at least five centimetres large. I fear that it will jump as me as I'm walking by. I don't want it to jump, or drop onto me.

It's because I asked Gemini via a photo that I know the type of spider. I read that if it's provoked to attack it feels similar to a wasp sting, and that it can pierce human skin.

And Finally

When I saw such spiders in my apartment I got rid of them as soon as I spotted them. In the past, with small spiders, when I did not get rid of them I woke up with bite marks. I want to get rid of them before they find somewhere to hide.

Coincidentally, years ago I saw a murray eel in an aquarium and I thought that if I saw one in nature it would freak me out. Eventually I did see murray eels when scuba diving and I felt perfectly calm. It's funnny how we're calmer about some things than others.

I will not share photos of the spider. I don't want to encourage your arachnophobia.

Trapped in a tin can being tossed around by giant mutant spiders is a bit more scary than this silly game probably intended. Pretty great though!

#gamedev #arachnophobia #tanksvsbugs #godotengine