How Much Spiders Do We Eat?
WouterThe answer to how much spiders do we eat is a complicated question. Depending on who you ask, it may vary by a factor of ten. In some cultures, they are considered a delicacy, while others consider them to be an unrestrained pest.
Spiders are an abundant species. They eat insects and other spiders, as well as fish, birds, and some reptiles. Some larger species even snack on small mammals. As such, they help reduce the number of flies, mosquitoes, and other bugs that can cause harm in your garden.
There is an urban legend that claims people swallow eight spiders while they are sleeping. Although the odds are pretty low, they are not impossible.
Getting a swarm of spiders to fall into your mouth is a bit tricky. Most spiders are solitary creatures, and don’t want to make themselves at home in your bedroom. If you snore loudly, they are unlikely to approach you. A more likely scenario is that they will crawl out of your mouth.
However, there is some scientific proof that a person can swallow a spider. It is believed that the esophageal sphincter, which connects the throat to the stomach, opens when a signal is received to allow food to pass. When the sphincter closes, spiders get a bit stuck and may need to be expelled.
According to some estimates, a single human can ingest up to twenty pounds of meat a day. Add in kids’ weight, and the total biomass of adults on Earth amounts to around two hundred and eighty million tons.
