Adrian wrote:
> However, we literally share our house with spiders & only put them out if it
> looks as if they will desiccate or starve indoors. They do seem to keep the
> house relatively free of aphids and flies. Of course, we don't have any
> harmful spiders here.
I do the same thing! I've always loved spiders... read "Charlotte's Web"
when I was a little kid and that was it for me. Even had a pet tarantula
for awhile as a kid.
Last summer, I had a bad infestation of moths... their larvae got into my
kitchen and the little moths were everywhere. Wasn't long before I had a
spider population to match! They did a great job of cleaning out the moths
and I enjoy watching them in the windows and corners. Now I worry because
they have all these little egg sacs everywhere and I'm afraid the hundreds
of babies will hatch and have nothing to eat. I think I will probably put
the sacs outside when it gets a little warmer.
A close friend of mine who has the same situation at her house, was
discussing this with me the other day. We remarked a little ways through
the conversation that there probably weren't many times when you would hear
two women talking about how many spiders would be good to have in their
kitchens. :-)
= Lee =
***********************************************************************
Lee A. Flier
lflier@mindspring.com
http://lflier.home.mindspring.com
Atlanta and Ellijay, Georgia, U.S.A.
"My excuse for venturing across disciplines, continents, and centuries is
that the world extends across disciplines, continents, and centuries.
Nothing in nature is quite so separate as two mounds of expertise." -
Marvin Harris
Lee
Haven't read charlotte's web but have seen the cartoon film -excellent
I too worry about the eggs sacs, but I've not found it easy to transplant
them
Adrian
adrian.saunders@dnet.co.uk
Date: 28 February 1998 03:44
Subject: Spiders was: garter snakes
> Adrian wrote:
> However, we literally share our house with spiders & only put them out if
it
> looks as if they will desiccate or starve indoors. They do seem to keep
the
Lee Flier wrote:
Lee
My love of spiders began in Africa. As a small child I remember large
but benevolent black hairy ones sitting up on the wall over my bed and
my mother telling me they were good friends which ate the mosquitos,
Goodnes knows if this was true, but it certainly made me feel
comfortable with them.
Here we still get spiders on the wall, but they are slender
daddylonglegs types, which sling awful untidy webs across the tops of
the walls and the ceiling. These soon become coated with dust, as they
never clear up the old ones, and I have a blitz occasionally to clear
away the worst, especially if we are expecting visitors who wouldn't
understand! We also have numerous very active tiny hunting spiders with
really huge eyes.
In the garden we get all sorts, and huntsmen too. During autumn we often
see the most beautiful orb webs around the property and they look great
in the morning when all ornamented with dew.
I am filled with amazement at the number of people here who class
spiders, even those outdoors, with the nasty creepy crawlies to be
disposed of and I always take the opportunity when I can to try and
reverse this bad press and explain how on the contrary they are in fact
very much the gardener's friends.
One of the strangest things is arachniphobia, which does not necessarily
come from ignorance. I always remember a friend of mine many years ago
who was actually a professional zoologist, calling to me "Moira, Moira,
help! There's a small Arachnid in my bedroom"!!! And I had to go in with
a duster and remove the truely very small offender.
Moira
Tony & Moira Ryan
Wainuiomata, New Zealand
I can relate to this. It's nice to hear of someone else who only
bothers with those old webs for guests.
We also have numerous very active tiny hunting spiders with
My daughter and son are not that fond of spiders, but they have
learned that the spiders are to be welcomed.
sph
-----------------
sandrap@flora.org
http://www.flora.org/sandra
Homeschooling in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
http://www.flora.org/hbln/
Yeah! and one time one of my sons asked me why I left them there. I told him
cuz they eat bugs and he says, "Mom, they ARE bugs". 8 ) I still
leave them.
> away the worst, especially if we are expecting visitors who wouldn't
> understand!
I can relate to this. It's nice to hear of someone else who only
bothers with those old webs for guests.
We also have numerous very active tiny hunting spiders with
My daughter and son are not that fond of spiders, but they have
learned that the spiders are to be welcomed.
sph
-----------------
sandrap@flora.org
http://www.flora.org/sandra
Homeschooling in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
http://www.flora.org/hbln/
I am a new subscriber to this list
Here is my problem, I hope someone can help. I have a large wood pile next to
my garden where my children and I love to spend our free time. The wood pile,
last year contained black widow spiders. This is a risk i refuse to expose my
children again. Does anyone have an idea on how to help me?
-> Here is my problem, I hope someone can help. I have a large wood
-> pile next to my garden where my children and I love to spend our free
-> time. The wood pile, last year contained black widow spiders. This
-> is a risk i refuse to expose my children again. Does anyone have an
-> idea on how to help me?
I can't offer much real help, but the first thing is to get rid of the
hiding places. I'm assuming this isn't an "inherited" pile of wood and
that you are burning it for heat. If you're using the wood I'd suggest
moving the pile (if it's possible) further away from the garden. If
you're *not* using it, get rid of it. Now would be the time to move it
so that you can kill visible spiders and dispose of the egg sacs which
will produce an increase in their numbers. Black widows are good at
finding a solitary board in a yard and hiding under it. Last January I
started preparing my (virgin) garden area, I took in part of a pasture
for it. I had some black plastic that I had covered my compost piles
with and was taking it up for storage when I turned it over and there
she lay....in only 2 months one had found her way about 75' out into the
"pasture" area. I do remember reading about a critter (bird or
reptile?) that simply adores the taste of black widows, but for the
life of me can't remember what it was. If I stumble upon it again I'll
give you a holler. But, frankly, getting rid of the lady's living
quarters is about the only surefire rememdy other than poison.
I take it that you've introduced the kids to the spider and they're
aware to be on the lookout for them. Good luck.
Ed
Title: Rank Beginner :)
Zone 8 (USDA)
South Alabama, USA
