Arachnophobia: Live!

So, you know when you're just innocently watching television, and suddenly, out of the corner of your eye, you notice a giant spider has appeared high up on the wall? And then you begin to hunt for the largest, grossest shoe you own to smash this crawling critter into smithereens? Yeah? Well, it's really difficult to appreciate that bug's unique design and perfect symmetry when he's part of the plaster. But when they aren't invading your house, these many-legged monsters can be quite nice to look at (and they definitely seem a lot less threatening). Take the desert hairy scorpion pictured: On your bedroom pillow, this fella would force you to move out of your home and leave all of your belongings behind. But in his aquarium at the Arachnids exhibit at the Butterfly House (15193 Olive Boulevard in Faust Park, Chesterfield; 636-530-0076 or www.butterflyhouse.org), a little guy like this poses no threat, so he's almost cute (almost; we haven't lost our minds over here). Check out the scorpion, along with octolimbed others, when you visit the Butterfly House from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. any day of the week; admission costs $4 to $6.
Starts: July 1. Daily, 2006