Who has never gotten rid of a spider with a vacuum cleaner? If, at first glance, the solution may seem practical for arachnophobes who would not want to get close to one of these little ugly creatures, it actually seems to be quite counterproductive, according to the Swedish magazine Illustrerad Vetenskap.
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The specialized media indeed warns that even once it has been sucked in and trapped at the bottom of the vacuum bag, the creature could actually survive, and what's worse is it might actually come back out, even if it is several months later.
Spiders can survive for several months inside a bag
Although getting caught in a vacuum cleaner is probably not the most pleasant feeling for a spider, it can still get out, provided it gets to the bottom of the bag alive. And from then on, it will do everything it can to find its way out, even if the spider is not known for having particularly good eyesight.
As Illustrerad Vetenskap explains, well-fed spiders 'can reduce their metabolism and thus survive for more than 200 days without food,' and thus could emerge from your vacuum cleaner several months after entering it.
Read more:Never kill a spider in your home, here's the surprising reason why
Spiders are sensitive creatures
Biologist and arachnologist Kajsa Mellbrand is a little bit more reassuring. In a statement quoted by Expressen, another Swedish media, she says that the force of the suction is likely to kill a spider, known as a rather sensitive bug.
In fact, a 2007 study looked at the effectiveness of vacuum cleaners in getting rid of spiders. Male and female spiders as well as eggs were subjected to a series of tests to estimate their survival capacity. The result was that only the females survived in the bag for 10 days. The males and the eggs died during the aspiration.
This article has been translated from Gentside FR.
Read more:A study shows the precise time that spiders are more likely to enter your home
Sources used:
Expressen: Så länge kan spindlar överleva i dammsugaren
Scielo: Evaluation of the efficacy of vacuum cleaners for the integrated control of brown spider Loxosceles intermedia
Illustrerad Vetenskap: Hur länge kan en spindel överleva i dammsugarpåsen?
