Fear of spiders is a survival trait written into our DNA , researchers have discovered . Dating back hundreds of thousands of years , the instinct to avoid arachnids developed as an evolutionary response to a dangerous threat , the academics suggest . It could mean that arachnophobia , one of the most crippling of phobias , represents a finely tuned survival instinct . And it could date back to early human evolution in Africa , where spiders with very strong venom have existed millions of years ago . Scroll down for video . Researchers say a fear of spiders is a survival trait written into our DNA and dates back thousands of years , Stock photo . Study leader Joshua New , of Columbia University in New York , said : ‘ A number of spider species with potent , vertebratespecific venoms populated Africa long before hominoids and have co-existed there for tens of millions of years . ‘ Humans were at perennial , unpredictable and significant risk of encountering highly venomous spiders in their ancestral environments . ‘ Even when not fatal , a black widow spider bite in the ancestral world could leave one incapacitated for days or even weeks , terribly exposed to dangers , ’ he told the Sunday Times . The research team carried out an experiment in which 252 volunteers were asked to study computer screens containing abstract shapes and data . Their reactions to images of spiders were very fast , even if their shape was distorted , when compared to much more clear images of other objects known induce disgust or fear , such as needles and flies . The researchers point out that spiders are often small dark creatures that tend to hide in recesses and are hard to spot . Dr New said : ‘ Detection , therefore , is the critical arbiter of success in such encounters — any improvements to the sensitivity , vigilance , reliability and speed of faculties for their detection would have been of significant selective advantage. ’ The instinct could date back to early human evolution in Africa , where spiders with very strong venom existed millions of years ago . Pictured : a venomous Phormictopus antillensis spider .
Instinct to avoid arachnids developed as evolutionary response to threat . Comment: Could date back to early human evolution in Africa , where spiders with very strong venom existed millions of years ago .