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...

  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 ...