Spider

kbmbillups1
kbmbillups1 Posts: 1,390 ✭✭✭✭✭

Found two of these strange looking spiders have webs all of a sudden in 2 of my garden beds. I searched them and found they're called Gasteracantha Cancriformis & that they're bite isn't harmful to people (not trying to get bit though 😉). What do you think - should I let them be?

Hoping it will cool off here soon so I can dig up my sweet potatoes and prepare my beds for my winter garden.

Comments

  • Sheila
    Sheila Posts: 108 ✭✭✭
    edited September 2019

    Such pretty colours! Spidrrs outsid are left to their own devices as they eat so many pests that would otherwise feast on my garden. The occasional gymnastics performed after walking through a web are still worth the pest control😉

  • merlin44
    merlin44 Posts: 426 ✭✭✭✭

    I always leave them and thank the strange creatures for dining on the pests they enjoy and I don't.

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's always surprising when spiders have pretty colors. I still remember the lemon yellow one I saw waiting patiently on a bright yellow flower.

  • Obiora E
    Obiora E Posts: 517 ✭✭✭✭

    @kbmbillups1 I would leave the spider. Spiders are beneficial insects in the garden and just in general (out in Nature). Spiders for the most part in my experience have little interest in chasing us or biting us unless they feel threatened and are trying to protect themselves and/or their young. I see quite a few Webs in the early morning...I sometimes stop and marvel and then am off to whatever task that I am working on at the moment.

    I have seen a lot of colorful ones this year and sometimes if I have my camera with me (and time) I will photograph them. I think that one of our ultimate goals should be to reconnect with Nature, not just the plants/flora but also the animals and insects (big and small), and better understand their true value.

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @kbmbillups1 Your comments encouraged me to share that I am feeling guilt for killing scorpions.

    I started out squeamish on the subject. We have Arizona Bark Scorpions whose sting can be life threatening to small children and pets or those with allergies/illness. My husband goes out at night with a black light to kill any scorpions near our home before they can find a way inside. (We still have found a few inside.)

    There are several species of scorpions in our area. Shortly after we moved here, my husband took me outside to see the large scorpion he had killed the night before. I had no idea that American scorpions could get that big. I stood staring at it; it must have been around 6 inches long with its tail laying flat (Great Hairy Scorpion). A curious thing happened; I felt sorry for it as if it was a small dead animal. I got over my fear of scorpions at that time.

    I feel badly that the scorpions and Black Widows spiders need to be killed to protect family and pets, especially when they could be eating the bugs that are eating my plants.

  • kbmbillups1
    kbmbillups1 Posts: 1,390 ✭✭✭✭✭

    In June and early July when my blueberries are ripe I always leave the spiders in my bushes and I rarely see anything eating my berries. Guess I didn't think of this strange spider the same way - natural bug eliminator!

  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭

    IF:

    the bite is very painful, even though not poisonous, I would either make sure myself, family and livestock would not be passing through the web of this spider. Or, I would knock it's web down and take him/her out lol.

    A couple of days ago, I stepped out on the back porch to feed my outside cat and lo...there was the scarriest and ugliest, yet pretty, but more ugly..spider and I have never seen one like it. It had 2 segments, both blue hued dark red, and the rest was jet black. When I stepped onto the porch I stepped about 4 inches from it before seeing it. It was no bigger than a quarter, but I watched it immediately raise its front segment up and it watched me. So I stomped it. I did so becuase the only other insect/spider or small outside creature that had that kind of red is the red fire ant..but this was clearly a spider. In all my years whether in Okla, or any other place I have never seen a spider that looked like this one.

    I always prefer to leave creatures alone, but anytime there is enough question of the safety I rule for the safety of me and mine.

    Anyone have any idea what the spider I saw might be?

  • Hassena
    Hassena Posts: 345 ✭✭✭

    When I lived in Az, we also hunted scorpions with black lights. Then we put them in the freezer, once frozen we fed them to birds. Daughter got stung 3 times by a bark scorpion. I used mashed up prickly pear on her knee. She was fine within 24 hours. That was a heck of a night. Seeing the neurotoxins effects; the eyes flicking, muscle spasms. She couldn't eat or drink anything. It all tasted bad. Besides her eyes, yellowing and flickering the worst was she didn't want a hug. Her body felt so bad I couldn't even hold. I sure did stay up all night by her side.

    Don't mean to change topic of the post. Soooo...I generally leave spiders alone outside. Inside it's a slightly different story. Some spiders are beautiful. We've got these cool zipper spiders...


  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Hassena Glad to hear that your daughter made it through. A neighbor's infant granddaughter almost didn't make it; I think she told me the antivenom cost $20 THOUSAND dollars that insurance covered.

    I do agree that some spiders are mighty pretty. I can admire insects, just don't want them touching me.

  • Hassena
    Hassena Posts: 345 ✭✭✭

    @shllnzl

    Wow glad there was antivenom available and insurance covered it. I grow prickly pear mostly for it's ability drawing out wounds/bites.

    Many blessings.