Scared of spiders? New research from B.C. university may provide a safe solution
Simon Fraser University researchers say a spider's ability to sniff out a certain species of ants could lead to a safe spider repellent for humans.
“When the number of ants increases in a garden, the number of spiders decline,” SFU scientist Andreas Fischer told CTV News. “And we wanted to know why.”
The researchers chose the common false black widow spider to study because of its proximity to humans. The harmless species can be found in and around buildings and walls.
The spiders were tested with a number of different kinds of ants and the research found that only the European fire ants repelled all the spiders tested. Other types of ants repelled only some of the spiders.
Fischer told CTV News that while spiders are very good for the environment, people with an irrational fear of spiders will do irrational things to repel them like spraying their homes with dangerous chemicals.
“There’s currently nothing safe on the market to repel spiders,” said Fischer. “We want to come up with a solution.”
The SFU testing was conducted before the pandemic and published in the Royal Society Open Science. When the research resumes this summer, the next step will be to try to identify the chemical that prompted the spiders to avoid the ants.
“Once we know the chemical, we will then test it to see if it’s safe for humans, pets and the environment,” says Fischer.
Fischer strongly advises people with a fear of spiders, also called arachnophobes, not to try bringing European fire ants into their gardens to stave off spiders.
“The ants are highly aggressive,” said Fischer, and they have a very painful sting. He added that they replicate very quickly and each nest contains hundreds of thousands of ants.
When asked why anyone would knowingly bring fire ants on to their property, he repeated, “people with irrational fears, do irrational things.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality alerts issued as wildfire smoke spreads east from Western Canada
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
When you have a moment's notice to evacuate, what do you take?
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
LIVE UPDATES Michael Cohen will face a bruising cross-examination by Trump's lawyers at the hush money trial
Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe returns to the witness stand Tuesday for a bruising round of questioning from the former president’s lawyers.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Risks of handcuffing someone facedown long known; people die when police training fails to keep up
For decades, police across the United States have been warned that the common tactic of handcuffing someone facedown could turn deadly if officers pin them on the ground with too much pressure or for too long.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.
Sunchips, Munchies recalled by Frito Lay Canada for possible salmonella contamination
Frito Lay Canada is recalling two of its most popular snacks due to a possible risk of salmonella contamination.