Spider Myth: You are never more than 10 feet from a spider at any given time!
Here I am, your noble spider knight, debunking a few myths for you.
This myth is actually due to the misinterpretation of a quote from a famous arachnologist:
“Wherever you sit as you read these lines, a spider is probably no more than a few yards away.”
This may already be debatable, but eh. “A few yards” is pretty vague. But a year after that article was published, an exhibit in Honolulu commented:
“Scientists estimate we’re never more than three feet from a spider. That’s because some are microscopic, and actually live RIGHT ON YOU.”
Wow. Okay. I think you mean dust mites, which aren’t spiders, but okay. And then yet another three years after that, the following quote was published in a book:
“Wherever you are, there is a spider within a meter of you.”
…which was followed two years after that with:
“Even in Manhattan, you are never more than three feet from a spider.”
“You’re probably within seven or eight feet of a spider, no matter where you are.”
Where did this all go wrong???
As for the truth of this one, it depends on where you are, really. If you’re in the middle of an open field, chances are you’re standing right on top of one. If you’re standing in a concrete parking lot, you might go several meters until you encounter another spider – maybe until the next building or light post! If you’re in a plane at night, you’ll be many thousands of miles from one, since spiders don’t balloon at night.
It may also depend on the season, as spiders tend to seek shelter indoors during winter. Geographically, if you’re in a tropical environment, you may be surrounded by spiders. Whereas if you’re on the arctic tundra you may not find a trace of spiders for miles around. If you’re on a boat in the middle of the ocean, you’ll be free of spiders unless you happen to have a hitchhiker on your vessel.
So in conclusion, there are some instances where there is a spider ten feet exactly from where you are. There are also some instances where you are standing right on top of a spider. There are, however, many instances where there isn’t a spider to be found anywhere near you.
Your Noble Spider Knight,
~Sir P. Audax
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