coming soon!
a dedicated website to quickly and efficiently educate why it's best to just let spiders live :)
coming soon!
a dedicated website to quickly and efficiently educate why it's best to just let spiders live :)
Featured Spiders
Brown Recluse
The brown recluse (Loxosceles sp.) is 1/2 medically significant spiders in the USA - but also, possibly the most misunderstood and misidentified spider in the world. Their range is very limited, and areas that have NO brown recluse constantly will misidentify other brown spiders as recluse because of their exaggerated reputation. While brown recluse do possess a medically significant venom, MOST bites are so mild they actually go unnoticed or only have a slight local reaction that heals on it’s own. For years, doctors even misdiagnosed skin infections (such as MRSA and Staphylococcus) as brown recluse bites. Thanks to entomologist Richard Vetter, who published a paper alongside Missouri dermatologists highlighting these errors, we can now clear brown recluse as the monsters they have been made out to be and instead embrace them for the reclusive, shy, and reluctant to bite, free-pest-control creatures they actually are.
Black Widow
The black widow (Latrodectus sp.) is the only other medically significant spider in the USA, but also one of the most delicate and gentle spiders found in nature. These beautiful arachnids are usually found outside under rocks, sticks and in secluded locations that often go undisturbed. Though the bite of a black widow will often cause extreme pain, a death from a black widow bite hasn’t occurred in the USA since the 1980s. Bites are very uncommon, as they are only a last resort that often happen when accidentally pressed against or disturbed during activities like gardening. Much of the prey black widows eat are actually bigger threats to humans than the black widow themselves, so it’s important to respect them and leave them be.
Joro Spider
Joro spiders (Trichonephila clavata) AKA the “flying venomous spiders” all the media is trying to make you panic over, are almost virtually harmless. Coming from East Asia, they are not naturally native to the US but are now being found in certain areas. Joro spiders are very closely related to Trichonephila clavipes, or the golden silk orb-weaver - which is A BEAUTIFUL, huge and native garden spider. Both species are a blessing to any garden, as they are “the good guys” trapping all the pests in your yard. Their impressive size does not make them any more venomous. That being said, like most spiders they are also reluctant to bite humans and their venom is not considered medically significant. But do they fly? Well, not exactly. Orb weavers of all kinds will disperse by ballooning - which basically just means they put a web out and let the wind carry them to different locations. This isn’t unique to the Joro, but does make a very eye catching headline.
About stopthesquish.com
As spider keepers and advocates, we have ALL been involved in a heated discussion, explaining why people should NOT kill spiders. The purpose of stopthesquish.com is to be an efficient website to quickly reference or link, educating others why we choose to let spiders live. We are meant to be a dedicated and reliable source that is simple and easily digestible for those who might not be familiar with spiders or their important role on our planet.
Stopthesquish.com is an extension of tarantulakat.com and is NOT a charity or nonprofit. Our purpose is only to advocate for spiders lives, as well spread awareness and dispel myths in one easy to remember URL.