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Spider Tales 6: Orange Bitey Thing

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Most of the countless spider myths circulating around are about wild spiders.  With a few exceptions (such as the mostly false idea that a spider found inside a building can't survive if relocated outside), these myths are also mainly found among people who fear or dislike spiders, often largely consolidating their loathing of these arachnids. It may be surprising, then, to realise that even circles where spiders are admired and appreciated aren't immune to false beliefs and urban legends. It's hard to imagine a community that loves them more than tarantula keepers; yet, even there, myths and scaremongering occasionally show their ugly faces.   A few species, although popular in the hobby, have quite a sinister reputation due to their defensive attitude and nasty bites. One, in particular, stands out.  Pterinochilus murinus  has been a staple in the tarantula hobby for decades. Its gorgeous colours and patterns, many different colour forms, as well as its ease o...
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Birdeaters and mouse catchers: spiders preying on vertebrates

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The darkest of nights: midnight in the Brazilian rainforest. At ground level, the jungle is dusky even during the day, when sunlight barely peers through the dense canopy; after sunset, though, it is pitch black. A rustle in the leaves; a predator on the prowl. Perfectly equipped for night hunting, he navigates the inky darkness with ease. The three-striped opossum may only be as big as a mouse, but he is nonetheless a bug's worst nightmare. As this tiny terror tirelessly patrols the forest floor, his teeth make short work of any arthropod he encounters.  Coming down from a tree root, our little hunter freezes. His steps led him to a sinister-looking hole in the ground, where obscurity somehow appears even thicker than around it. Near the hole, the forest floor feels strangely soft under his paws, as if covered with some sort of mat. Even though no distinct smell or sound exhales from it, it seems to radiate a diffuse, looming threat. Better not stay here. Sudden and overwhelming, ...
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Spider bites and risky remedies: the case of Corsica

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  Warning: this article shows some images of medically significant animals near human hands. These animals were not being handled, and this is not something I encourage or condone. Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean sea, between the coasts of France and Italy. Ask any of its inhabitants, and they'll tell you it's the most beautiful place on Earth. Sure, islanders all over the world will often claim the same about their island, but it's hard to deny that Corsica is absolutely gorgeous: majestic mountains plunging into the azure sea, heavenly beaches and coves, sand dunes covered in wild flowers, snow-capped peaks shining under the blue sky, their slopes dotted with picturesque little villages...  It is also a place blessed with an extreme scarcity of dangerous land animals. It doesn't have any venomous snakes or medically significant scorpions. Mosquito-borne yellow fever and malaria used to take their toll on Corsicans unlucky enough to work and live in swampy ...
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