The Creepy, the Crawly, and the Captivating

I once heard someone describe Arizona as "the Australia of the United States."  What they meant by this, of course, is that Arizona has an above-average number of wild animals that are dangerous, intimidating, or just make your skin crawl.

To be honest, this is yet another thing about Arizona that I love.  That's not to say that I wholly agree with the statement- after all, I go hiking all the time and don't feel particularly unsafe in the wilderness (but as always, I take precautions like any smart hiker should).  I'm personally on higher alert when I visit parts of the country that have grizzly bears, for instance. 

But I can understand what that person meant anyway.  What people seem to find worse than animals that are dangerous is animals that are creepy.  I think it is a human instinct to have some type of fear reaction to animals that slither, crawl, have more than 4 legs, and/or have prominent jaws and stingers. But that doesn't mean we should hate them!

Western Desert Tarantula - Photo by Alex Bickers

Originally from Pennsylvania, I moved to southern Texas in 2018, and then to southern Arizona in 2021.  Moving to a region that's crawling with biting and stinging insects, giant spiders, and the most venomous snakes on the continent honestly felt so exciting to me.  It felt exotic to be living around so many strange creatures that I didn't grow up with.  Even today, their creepy features make my heart start beating faster in a good way, and I truly feel that it is a privilege to know these animals.

Black Widow - Photo by Alex Bickers

When it comes to creepiness, few animals can compare to the classic female widow with its massive, bulbous abdomen, its long, spindly legs, and that bright red or orange hourglass that screams "danger!"  The black widow spider has given me a very hospitable welcome to both Texas and Arizona, as I discovered widows near my home shortly after moving to both states.  I actually found one of these bad boys (well, a girl) in my Arizona home the day I moved in.  I was thrilled!!  My fiancé was not.  I guess I can understand why finding a highly venomous spider inside your home might not be appealing to some. 

It's hard to explain to others why I am so drawn to these types of animals.  When I see something that gives me goosebumps, I relish in it.  It's almost like the appeal of watching a horror movie: I like the way it scares me.  No matter how long I live here, my excitement does not wane, and I am always looking forward to my next encounter with these alien species. 

Striped Bark Scorpion - Photo by Alex Bickers

Scorpions are another example of a "creepy" animal that haunt some people's nightmares.  In my mind, although some scorpions live in wooded areas, scorpions can be seen as a natural representation of the desert: With their hard exoskeleton, pinching claws, and venomous stinger, these invertebrates represent the harshness of this climate, along with the tough adaptations that animals need in order to survive here.  And, like the desert, people will sometimes focus on this brutality alone rather than appreciating the beauty in life that has managed to find a way in even the most unlikely circumstances.

Arizona Scorpion (species unknown) - Photo by Alex Bickers

Before moving to Arizona, I was warned about bark scorpions being everywhere, but to my dismay I never saw a single one... That is, until I went on a night hike.  If you ever visit or live in the American southwest, I highly recommend getting a blacklight flashlight.  I never realized just how intensely these guys glow under UV light.  They look like they're ready for a rave!

Now back to spiders...

Recluse Spider - Photo by Alex Bickers

Recluse Spider - Photo by Alex Bickers

Possibly even more infamous than this spider's necrotic venom is the tendency for people to misidentify any brown arachnid as a brown recluse.  Personally, I have little difficulty identifying recluse spiders; I look for long legs, a smooth body, and the telltale "violin" on its back.  I actually learned to identify these spiders at a previous workplace, when I discovered that the very small wooden shed that I was cleaning was filled with breeding groups of recluses: adults, juveniles, and egg sacs everywhere!  That was a fun discovery.

Although many of these animals pose a level of danger, it's important to note that the stories told about all of these animals tend to be greatly exaggerated.  Yes, some of these animals (such as black widows, recluses, bark scorpions, and venomous snakes) pose enough of a threat of medical complications that it is important to visit a hospital if you find yourself bitten or stung by one.  However, these animals are unlikely to ever bite or sting you if you are respecting their space, and human deaths from any of these Southwestern US species are rare.  We should be cautious around them, but we shouldn't demonize them.  Remember that their venom is mostly meant for their prey, not us.

Texas Coral Snake - Photo by Alex Bickers

A lot of people want to focus on the similarities that some animals have with humans.  There is certainly nothing wrong with this; as someone who worked with chimpanzees, I was constantly in awe of the human similarities that they showed me every day.  But personally, I find the the differences between humans and animals to be just as compelling as our similarities.

Show me any science fiction depiction of an alien, and I will show you the animal that inspired the design.  How cool is it that some animals have an exoskeleton instead of an internal skeletal system?  How amazing is it that some animals can unhinge their jaw to swallow whole prey?  The world is full of creatures that look nothing like us, regulate their bodies differently, breathe differently, see differently, smell differently, and think differently than we do.  Isn't it a wonder that creatures so different from us have evolved to survive in their own unique ways?

It's generally easier for people to admire a dangerous animal than to see past something being creepy. The grizzly bear gets more appreciation than the rattlesnake.  Most of us can empathize more with a mammal than with something that looks nothing like us and has an unrecognizable way of living.  Mammals are familiar, and non-human mammals show affection in ways that feel similar to our own.

But even if these misunderstood reptiles and invertebrates behave so differently from humans... isn't that fascinating in itself?  Even if they look intimidating, aren't they also captivating?  What makes them creepy is what makes them unique.  What makes some people terrified of them is what makes others seek them out. 

Perhaps these animals have little in common with you... but is that really what determines their value?  Maybe they make your skin crawl.  Maybe they experience the world differently.  Maybe they don't have the ability to love you.  But I promise, it is so worth it to love them.

I sure do.

Group of Harvestmen - Photo by Alex Bickers