Insects and arachnids are among the top things that people fear most. They’re creepy, crawly and some can even be dangerous, from having poisonous venom to carrying deadly diseases — like the tsetse fly, which can carry the parasites that cause East African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, a fatal illness if left untreated.
For the most part, though, insects and arachnids are harmless. So why are we so afraid of them? Spiders and insects may take the cake when it comes to the critters that creep us out the most, but they can still bring lots of benefits to both the ecosystem and our daily lives.
