Reviving the charm of spiders: A Pune initiative challenges long-held fears.

 

Making Spiders Lovable Again: How a Pune Initiative is Spinning New Stories Around Old Fears

For generations, bedtime stories and old wives’ tales have painted spiders as sinister creatures — lurking in dark corners, spinning webs of deceit and danger. Their eight legs and glassy eyes have long inspired unease, even in the bravest among us. From the heroic world of Harry Potter, where even wizards like Ron Weasley quake at the sight of them, to our own homes where a glimpse of a web invites panic, spiders have suffered from an image problem that’s centuries old.

But in Pune, a quiet revolution is underway — one that hopes to make people see spiders not as symbols of fear, but as fascinating and vital members of our natural world.

At the heart of this movement are Shreyas Pattanshetty and Swara Bakshi, two passionate naturalists who have always viewed spiders differently. As members of Capparis Eco Solutions, an organisation that works in biodiversity assessments and environmental awareness, they’ve dedicated this November to celebrating these misunderstood creatures. Their mission? To challenge the myths, replace fear with curiosity, and make spiders — dare we say it — fun.

A Month Dedicated to the Eight-Legged Architects

Capparis Eco Solutions has launched a campaign under the banner of Nisargotsav, a series of monthly nature celebrations aimed at helping urban citizens reconnect with their surroundings. For November, the theme is spiders — chosen deliberately to coincide with their breeding season, when webs glisten with morning dew and new hatchlings emerge.

To bring people closer to these tiny architects, the team has organised two unique events. The first, The Spider Talk, will take place at Indradhanyushya Hall, Navi Peth, Dattawadi, on Friday, November 7, with free entry for all. The second, a Spider Walk through Taljai Hills on Sunday, November 9, invites participants to experience spiders in their natural habitats for a modest fee of ₹150 per person.

Both events are designed not as lectures, but as experiences — opportunities to observe, photograph, and marvel at spiders’ ingenious survival techniques. Social media campaigns have already started building interest, with colorful posts and eye-catching spider facts to lure in the curious and the cautious alike.

Changing Myths, One Web at a Time

“We want to change the way people look at spiders,” says Swara Bakshi, who speaks about these creatures with genuine affection. “A spider’s web in a house is often seen as a bad omen. But in reality, they’re there because they need food — insects attracted to tube lights or dark corners. They actually help keep your home clean from pests.”

Bakshi laughs as she describes her favorite species: “Jumping spiders are adorable! They have big, curious eyes and quirky movements. But most of us never notice them. We only see the long-legged house spiders, which can look a bit spooky.”

Her words reflect the initiative’s larger goal — to replace fear with fascination. By highlighting the ecological role of spiders as natural pest controllers and delicate weavers of art-like webs, the group hopes to spark a change in perception that goes beyond a single event.

Nisargotsav: Seeing Nature Through New Eyes

The spider-themed events are part of a larger environmental celebration called Nisargotsav, meaning “festival of nature.” The campaign invites people to pause and truly look at their surroundings — to notice the wild beauty that exists even in cities.

“There’s so much construction happening all around us — new roads, new buildings,” Bakshi reflects. “But how often do we notice that corner tree where a koel sings every morning, or the tiny mushroom that appears in your garden after rain? These small things remind us that nature is still very much alive in our cities.”

Pattanshetty adds that Nisargotsav will celebrate a new theme every month — from pollinators and butterflies to urban trees and night sounds. “Every living being deserves to be noticed and celebrated,” he says. “When we talk about biodiversity, people imagine national parks or forests. But urban wildlife is just as fascinating. You can find biodiversity right outside your balcony, in your parking lot, or along the street.”

Discovering the Beauty in the Web

November, according to Pattanshetty, is the perfect month to appreciate spiders — it’s their breeding season, when webs shimmer across gardens and walls. “Many of them are beautifully colored,” he explains. “The Signature Spider creates intricate, patterned webs that look like works of art. And the Rainbow Jumping Spider truly lives up to its name — it’s tiny, vibrant, and full of personality.”

He also points out a common misconception: spiders are not insects. “They belong to a completely different class of organisms called arachnids,” he clarifies. “If you observe closely, you’ll see their elegance — their movements, their patience while hunting, and the geometry of their webs. There’s so much beauty in what people call creepy.”

Changing Habits, One Garden at a Time

Part of Capparis Eco Solutions’ work involves outreach among gardeners and caretakers of public spaces. “Many people unknowingly destroy spider habitats,” Pattanshetty notes. “When they prune trees or clean gardens, they remove webs thinking they’re dirty. But these webs are homes and hunting grounds. We try to explain that by protecting them, we’re actually supporting the natural balance of the ecosystem.”

This message resonates especially in a city like Pune, where rapid urbanization threatens microhabitats. Initiatives like these remind people that even the smallest creatures have an essential role to play.

A Web of Hope

As Nisargotsav unfolds, Shreyas, Swara, and their team hope to inspire a quiet shift in urban minds — from fear to appreciation, from destruction to coexistence. Their work shows that environmental awareness doesn’t always need to begin with grand speeches or distant forests. It can start right at home — in a forgotten web in the corner of your ceiling, or a spider patiently watching from its silken thread.

By weaving together science, storytelling, and compassion, Pune’s spider lovers are proving that even the most misunderstood creatures deserve their moment in the sun. Perhaps it’s time we looked closer — not to brush the web away, but to see the world it holds.

This story is adapted from a report originally published by The Indian Express.

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/how-pune-initiative-fighting-against-age-old-aversion-to-spiders-10349900/