Nopeland Discovery: the Blog

" What they want, you see, is not the truth; it's coherence. A miscarriage of justice is always a masterpiece of coherence." Daniel Pennac, Monsieur Malaussène (1995) *   Among the common spiders in Europe, giant house spiders (genus Eratigena , particularly species of the Eratigena atrica group) certainly are the most dreaded by arachnophobes. Huge, long-legged and dazzlingly fast, male giant house spiders often cause quite a commotion when they bolt across rooms at dusk in summer and fall, as they wander through homes in search of a mate. However, the fear and disgust they tend to induce in many people is purely based on their dark, leggy and hairy appearance, and their large size; pretty much everyone knows these impressive spiders are quite harmless. Even the most depraved tabloids, despite their tendency to make stories out of the silliest rumours , do not dare to claim they are dangerous. Their bites are not, and have never been, a cause for concern. Reaching up to ...

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...

Urban legends are fascinating. These pieces of modern folklore are as creepy as they are entertaining, and provide a wonderful insight into how entirely made-up, far-fetched stories, can be believed and passed on, as long as they sound scary and shocking enough. Of course, they are often told for fun and entertainment, but there are also many people who sincerely believe in some of them and accept them as fact. A big part of their impact comes from their tendency to tap into the widespread fears and beliefs of the place and time they exist in. These cultural context elements, which give birth to the urban tales and transpire through them, can be highly specific to one particular location (such as a particularly creepy and mysterious abandoned building in a specific town) or be more vague, and representative of the concerns and anxieties of an entire demographic. The fear of all things foreign and unfamiliar, and of these foreign threats making an unwelcome intrusion in our world of fa...