this post was submitted on 28 May 2024
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Science Memes

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Ant smell (mander.xyz)
submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I used to be able to smell spiders when I was a kid. The spider web, to be exact. It has a quite specific but not unpleasant smell to it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I've always wondered if that's what arachnophobia is, you can smell or hear them when most people can't.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago (2 children)

I can't smell or hear them, but I know where I'm likely to find one and can't see it. That scares me. Lol

I'm slowly trying to overcome my fear of spiders, but you'll never catch me boopin' a black window claiming it's "friend shaped"! Lol

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I developed a powerful arachnophobia as a kid when I was playing in a mountain steam building a dam out of rocks, turned over a rock, and there was a huge spider spread-eagled on the bottom of the rock.

I can still remember that image. Seared into my head. I was like 6.

The extent of the arachnophobia included:

  • Pictures of spiders freaked me out.
  • Discovering any spider within arm’s reach, even one with the legspan of a pea, would send me into full, uncontrollable get-it-off-me motions

It was pretty bad. Just saying it was a strong phobia.

Then I did some ayahuasca ceremonies, and my arachnophobia is basically gone.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

I've mostly gotten over my more intense childhood arachnophobia but the big ones and up close pictures still freak me out and I still smash em or vacuum them up when they're in my home regardless of size so they don't end up in my mouth when I'm asleep (that stat about eating so many spiders in a year really messed with me as a kid)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago (1 children)

spider horrorI came across a huge spider that I could hear. That is still one the most terrifying sounds of my existence. This spider had a 2 inch body which made it like 5 inches across and charged me. It made me less afraid of normal spiders though, so there's that.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

That's CRAZY scary! What the heck did it sound like?!

Do you know what variety it was? Crazy that it felt bold enough to charge you like that.

It almost sounds like one of those "camel spiders" found in the desert. They're pretty unnerving but the sad part is they've got a rep for "chasing people" and being "really aggressive" because they're fast, but in reality they're just trying to hang out in your shadow usually.

... Still doesn't make me wanna encounter one tho. Yeesh!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Light clicking, sort of ti, ti, ti, ti, ti. A friend of mine's kid makes that sound in my ear and it's very funny to him. It takes a lot of strength not to hurt him while I get him away form my ear.

We're in Seattle, I think they're jumping spiders? I don't know for sure, but they're terrifying. We got a table from a warehouse and I think he came with the table.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

That's wild. Freaky! Sorry your friend's kid bullies you, but I can understand what kinda sound you're describing now. 😬

Not a spider expert, I wonder if it was this guy (tw: spider picture but also useful article?) Article Link

Dunno about jumping spiders that big. Jumping spiders tend to be small, cute, smart lil' guys that are mainly just super curious. :)

I'm also freaked out by spiders though, mainly because I grew up in the desert where there were tons of black widows. But I've started to slowly get over it by watching a channel I found called "MyWildBackyard" on YouTube.

Guy talks about spiders and stuff, lets them crawl around, explains how non-threatening they are. Kinda Steve Irwin esque.

I'm not about to go pettin them...but curiosity has replaced fear at least :)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

After the giant one, the smaller ones aren't as bad to me. Still not worth it, lol. I was bit by a recluse, so that also makes me weary.

I quickly read the article, It was rounder than that, it looked more like a video game spider. I've seen the wolf spiders too and they weren't nearly as big, aggressive or scary looking. It was lighter in color as well.