Spiders in the garden

[claudine]

If I got caught up in a spider web like this, I'd probably start running in panic and screaming
But I must say that big spider webs look quite pretty early in the morning, with dew on them...they look almost like lace

 

[ACSAPA]

Claudine is right, that thing looks scary!

I usually discourage web making on my plants. Having them starts out innocently enough, but can ultimately become problematic. There is plenty of space outdoors for them to find somewhere else to create webs. I don't mind the spiders visiting, but I don't want them moving in.

The reason I'm not afraid of the Spiny Backed Orbweaver is that he's the size of a Tic Tac. That is an extremely close up photo, he's tiny.
I'm scared of most spiders, but reading that the little guy is harmless makes me not worry about this particular spider. We had some really bad rain last week and I think the rain literally washed the itsy bitsy spider out, I haven't seen him around.

 

[ChanellG]

Uh, huh. Does he bite? Mosquitoes aren't big either, but they are a pain in the you know where and they can make you terribly ill. We have those little jumping spiders all over the place, but since they don't speak English, and I don't want to get bitten, I try and keep them at a healthy distance.

 

[dconklin]

Some spiders can be a problem in the garden depending on what type. A variety of the funnel-web spider is
very poisonous in south eastern Australia.
Spiders in your area are a part of the eco-system and should be respected.
I wear gloves either rubber or leather gloves while gardening to protect my hands from bites, scratches and splinters. I know a lot of gardeners who don't, even many women.
When I had wwoofers come and stay at my property I would issue each one with a new set of gloves and encouraged them to take them with them to the next farm stay. It was surprising to learn that not many farms or homestays would hand them out.
http://australianmuseum.net.au/Funnel-web-Spiders-group/

Fortunately for us we don't really have many poisonous spiders here in NJ. Tho it is not native to NJ, the black widow has been found here on rare occasion and they say they probably come in with the banana trucks every once in a while.

To my knowledge the only spider that we have to worry about (since the black widow is rare) is the brown recluse. I have been bitten by the brown recluse before when I was a kid. I didn't even feel the bite but had spots on my legs that made my mom take me to the doctor. He told us what it was and gave me blood poisoning pills (I believe that was what they were) and I was ok. They can cause some serious skin problems tho in some people if left untreated.

But with the brown recluse, they are few and far between so they are not a huge concern here either. They are also usually found in wooded areas and not so much on plants - phew

 

[dconklin]

Generally spiders can be good for the garden, catching many other garden pests in their webs.
Take care though. I never thought the UK had any species of spider capable of biting a human.

Years ago, when I ran my own Tropical and coldwater fish store, selling also all pet foods medicines etc. I had a regular customer come in with a hand really badly swollen. On enquiry she said she had been bitten by a spider when gardening.

I wasn't convinced and suggested it may have been something else. A few days later another customer came in with his arm resting in a sling. Upon enquiry, again had been bitten by a spider while gardening.

So, they have a use in the garden, but be aware if your working close to one.

We have many spiders here that are capable of biting us in the US, but spiders don't go out of their way to bite humans. We are not part of their food chain so they usually only bite us if they feel threatened. More or less if you accidentally put your hand on it or something like that.

Very few spiders are actually poisonous tho. I have been bitten a few times by spiders but only once by a poisonous one. For the most part they are like a bug bite but they can look worse, sometimes they bruise at the bite.

edit: At times the bite can get infected so you always have to keep an eye on a bite just in case and if you see a red line by the bite, the doctor or emergency room should know.

 

[maddie]

I have a Spiny Backed Orbweaver that has made a web on my aloe vera plant. Their bites are harmless to humans ,so he can stay there until we move house.
He looks like this stock photo.

He looks very interesting almost like an alien space craft. Wow! I wish I had some spiders like that out here.. I would photograph him all day!

 

[dconklin]

He looks very interesting almost like an alien space craft. Wow! I wish I had some spiders like that out here.. I would photograph him all day!

I am not usually afraid of spiders (tho I don't exactly want to touch them either) but I am not sure I would want this one here. He looks a bit scary

 

[ChanellG]

I've been bitten twice, once by some kind of brown spider and once by something I thought was a large ant, but the skin reaction was more like a spider bite. The brown one just made me itch - but the bite occurred while I was driving! I was crossing the river at the time and felt a little prick. When I reached to scratch what I thought was just an itch, the spider scurried out!

I was on my way to swim and somehow it had made it's way under the edge of my suit near the shoulder strap. Fortunately, nothing really happened other than the skin itching, but it continued to itch for weeks afterward. The second bite, on my ankle (I was in a small park the size of a city block), caused necrosis and took ages to heal. It was a few years ago, but I still have a scar.

 

[dconklin]

I've been bitten twice, once by some kind of brown spider and once by something I thought was a large ant, but the skin reaction was more like a spider bite. The brown one just made me itch - but the bite occurred while I was driving! I was crossing the river at the time and felt a little prick. When I reached to scratch what I thought was just an itch, the spider scurried out!

I was on my way to swim and somehow it had made it's way under the edge of my suit near the shoulder strap. Fortunately, nothing really happened other than the skin itching, but it continued to itch for weeks afterward. The second bite, on my ankle (I was in a small park the size of a city block), caused necrosis and took ages to heal. It was a few years ago, but I still have a scar.

Some spider bites can definitely be worse then others! They have a tendency to bruise more too. My cousin broke her windshield one time because she saw a spider when she was driving. But she did get the spider before she got bitten Of course at the expense of a windshield!

Tho many spiders are not poisonous and we do not run a big risk of being bitten, when a spider does bite we need to keep an eye on the bite. Usually it won't cause a bad reaction, but it can.

I got bitten by one that must of crawled into my favorite bathrobe so when I put it on after a shower, I got bit on the leg. Fortunately that one didn't cause any kind of reaction. Just a pinch during the bite and then a little itchy after.

 

[passingcat]

I have a Spiny Backed Orbweaver that has made a web on my aloe vera plant. Their bites are harmless to humans ,so he can stay there until we move house.
He looks like this stock photo.

Wow! You are very brave for allowing this scary spider to reside in your garden! I'm from the United Kingdom so we rarely get any terrifying spiders, unless they sneak through international shipping, inside a bunch of bananas. Some of our house spiders are quite big, but they can't bite. He is a very smart looking spider. Hopefully he will eat any insects that may try to attack and eat your plant!

 

[Jed]

There's a spider in Australia which has been unjustly killed as it's believed that they cause infection and in some cases, limbs having to be removed.
The spider is locally called the white tail and is an active hunter not making a web but searches around for its prey. Any signs of infection from bites of any kind should be checked by a doctor.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/08/06/1091732056941.html

 

[TheBrit]

Agree with you dconklin. It does seem though that many people are allergic to many types of what we would term "ordinary" insect bites. My old next-door neighbour was very allergic to all bites including the basic mosquito. If bitten on the ankle her leg invariably swelled up to the knee and she would have to use crutches until the ant-histimin tablets kicked in. Luckily for me a bite is just a bite, small irritating spot that lasts for a few days.

 

[claudine]

I'm pretty sure that I developed an allergy to mosquito bites. In the past, the bitten area on my skin was just a little itchy and it lasted for no more than a few hours. Now, it lasts for weeks and it looks really terrible.
Maybe I have an allergy, maybe mosquitoes have become more nasty, who knows
Fortunately, I've never been bitten by a spider.