"A spider is not a good insect"
Translation:Buibui si mdudu mzuri
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True; they're not insects at all. But I think they're lovely. Would "buibui" mean strictly "insect" or also other small arthropods?
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Assuming you misspoke and meant to ask if "mdudu" means strictly "insect" ("buibui" means spider):
According to the Swahili Wikipedia, "mdudu" is indeed used for just about any small arthropod, at least colloquially. To make a distinction when referring to "true" insects, you can literally say "wadudu wa kweli."
Some people use it even more loosely, including "creepy crawlies". I'm pretty sure I've heard people call some creatures like worms wadudu and I distinctly remember people using mdudu for a small gecko once.
I, too, am firmly in the pro-spider camp. As long as they remain outside of my home, we're just fine. I love the generational orb-weaver that lives outside my kitchen window. I gladly clean up all of the dead mosquitoes, flies, and other creatures she eats!
