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
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Hulk Hogan, hurricanes and a blockbuster recording: A week in review of the Trump hush money trial
Crucial witnesses took the stand in the second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial, including a California lawyer who negotiated deals at the center of the case and a longtime adviser to the former president.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Drone footage shows Ukrainian village battered to ruins as residents flee Russian advance
The Ukrainian village of Ocheretyne has been battered by fighting, drone footage obtained by The Associated Press shows. The village has been a target for Russian forces in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.