time. Recent advances in technology have enabled the use of virtual or augmented reality spiders for use in therapy. These techniques have proven to be effective. It has been suggested that exposure to short clips from the Spider-Man movies may help to reduce an individual's arachnophobia. Epidemiology Arachnophobia affects 3.5 to 6.1 percent of the global population. See also Apiphobia, fear of bees Entomophobia, fear of insects Myrmecophobia, fear of ants References External links National Geographic: "Fear of Snakes, Spiders Rooted in Evolution, Study Finds" Zoophobias Arachnids and humans