people and snakes are a trip

[Flaxbee]

17. I don't understand the hatred of snakes OR spiders. Respect, most definitely. Fear? Not so much

unless you accidentally blunder across a rattler or a big spider's web or live in Australia...

I find both spiders and snakes to be completely fascinating. I have no control of my flailing limbs if a spider is on me - it's such a reflex I can barely control it - but I will NOT kill unless it's of the very damaging kind - not just a sore spot if you're bitten, but serious damage if you're bitten (black widows, brown recluses). And hey, if the black widow is minding its own business in the wilderness, who am I to kill it? It's serving a purpose, doing its thing, and if it isn't in someone's home or garage, it gets a pass.

Wouldn't kill a snake, either - not even if it's poisonous - unless I had to do so to save the life of a human or pet. These creatures have evolved to have a very important place in our ecosystem and human phobias shouldn't be the death knell for them.

So there.