There are many things which humans find repulsive – whether we associate them with disease and illness, or they just make our skin crawl, many things in day-to-day life can be something that a lot of people find unpleasant – yet many of these things also are necessary and important parts of the world that we live in and have a key role to play in the health of our environments.
Here are a few things that you might not see as a good thing which actually have many positive qualities…
Rats – Something that has long been associated with disease and uncleanliness, rats are known to lurk in less than sanitary places. For example, CCTV drain survey Cheltenham based company Drainaway enviro will have likely seen many rats living in the sewers and drains around our homes. Rats are fantastically adaptable creatures that have learned to make the most of human activities and live alongside us and thrive. Although many people dislike rats they are not only highly intelligent and affectionate creatures, they play a key role in the ecosystem by promoting the growth of plants and trees, the seeds of which they help to spread far and wide. Of course, they are also effective as waste disposal, as this is one of the reasons that they are found in such large numbers near humans – they are attracted to our waste!
Fungi – Mushrooms and fungi are associated with decay, but they are in fact one of the most interesting and vital parts of the earth. At this time of year, a walk in the woodlands will show you many different types of mushrooms and fungus, doing a job which is integral to the health of the forest, and the earth. The reason that they pop up on woodland floors and around decaying matter is because they are actually cleaning up – they thrive on the fallen leaves dying on the floor of the forest. They are also an important communication tool used by the trees themselves – part of the web that helps the trees to communicate with one another for the health of the forest. They may not look much but these are one of the most integral parts of the ecosystem.
Spiders – One of the most common fears in the world is arachnophobia – the fear of spiders. However, spiders help humans out in many ways. When you fond one in your house, let it stay – it will feast on all the nasties that we might get in from house flies to mosquitoes, spiders actually do a fantastic job of home fest control. Spiders are also useful to farmers and gardeners as they will hoover up pests which destroy plants and crops. Spiders are highly unlikely to attack humans – so nest time you see one, just leave it alone to do its business!
