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Spiders, Spiders, Everywhere!

lizasaur

Charlatan
I'm getting really annoyed by all the spiders out this season.
I don't know why this season is turning out to be so bad- the mites were new, the black buggies were new, the lackluster sundews, dead cobra lily. A few of my many Sarrs are dying out- rotting, I guess? There wasn't a problem with them last year, but even new pitchers are making like the cobra lily- they're just browning from the top down and being sucked of life. I wish I could stop it. None of the rhizomes are buried, the water table isn't too high, and it's really no disease since I treat regularly with Neem.
But now there are spiders out the wazoo! I'm kind of slightly arachnophobic, so I don't like the prospect of trimming off a dead pitcher or watering of something and having a spider jump on me, but I'm concerned about all their webbing, perhaps it's impending on my plants. I just killed a pretty big one today. It was so weirdly designed, and it was all...white and powdery. It was definitely alive, moving. But when I cut it in half it just POOFed into a cloud of dust. Really weird. Idk if anything can be done about them since Neem obviously doesn't affect them.
 
Come on, anyone?
I really need help. They're only getting worse, the webs are bending pitchers and I just found the molt of a 1.5" idk what kind of spider. D:
 
You could get some guineafowl, they eat spiders :p
 
buy a few praying mantids they eat almost any insect
 
Spiders are good guys! They are helping your plants. Why would you want to get rid of something that is helping you control pests? Okay, so they're a little spooky looking. But so are Venus Flytraps!
 
Because they are icky :p
I don't mind spiders outside, but i don't like them inside.
Especially those big hairy brown ones :O
 
If you don't like creepy-crawly icky things, you are in the wrong hobby. :-O Did I tell you guys about the maggots I found in my S. flava the other day?

Plants and arthropods are intertwined. You can't understand one without understanding the other. Carnivorous plants are maybe one of the best examples of the complex relationship between plant and insect. Simultaneously, a plant can have different relationships with dozens of species. S. purpurea for example has insects that pollinate its flowers, mosquito species which breed only in its pitchers, and of course...lunch! I think in order to fully appreciate a plant, you have to also appreciate its relationships with neighboring arthropods.

They may appear a little creepy to our eye, but insects and spiders are a very important part of the beautiful natural world. Once you get past all their legs, they are very fascinating, beautiful creatures.
 
i don't mind insects, it's just spiders bigger then 5 mm that i dont like.
Smaller spiders i catch with my bare hands if needed :p
 
oooh no im a big wuss when it comes to spiders! i wont kill them cuz im scared they'll bite i just kinda swoosh them with a broom lol.
 
  • #11
all i have here is the occasional 'daddy long legs' and some other freaky looking one that looks like it will hurt oh and some wierd one that looks like a lady bug but with spikes.
 
  • #12
My vft's love daddy long legs, it's kinda creepy to go out and see the traps closed and just the long legs sticking out.
 
  • #13
Hey hey now!
I don't mind little spiders, okay? I know it's only natural for them to set up shop where there's easy food. I'm aware. And I wouldn't mind one in my garden...but to have what very well could be a brown recluse lurking around is pretty dangerous, ya know? And to have so many that there's a molt in pretty much every other pot and everything is covered in fine webs is also excessive. And considering they're not eating the little black repulsive bugs just makes me have no tolerance at all!

---------- Post added at 12:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:21 PM ----------

all i have here is the occasional 'daddy long legs' and some other freaky looking one that looks like it will hurt oh and some wierd one that looks like a lady bug but with spikes.

Daddy long legs have like, nothing but legs- all they can do is tickle you to death :p
The spiky ones are crab spiders. They're pretty nifty and harmless.
You just have to watch out for a brown recluse or wolf spider. Those are some things you don't want to get caught by.
 
  • #14
I wanna get a wolf spider for a pet!! :D That would be sweet!! As to the spiders set up some dews.. somethin tall since they like heights (for the most part) or look for the actively and chase them into a cup and transport them to a "green" zone like a wood pile.. To be honest i just toss them out bout 20m away or you can feed them to your plants. Just my opinions...
 
  • #15
Here in Maine there are tons of spiders this year!
I don't usually mind them but hey keep coming out of my plants and from everywhere else.
I get a web to the face every morning.
There is also tons of ants this year.
Bugs everywhere:):(
 
  • #16
Zero, I love your avatar! I'm presuming that's photoshopped, though =P

But yeah, I'm in the same boat as you. And I HAVE sundews, and the sundews are where the biggest spider is residing. Freaks me out. I found another two molts today, and yes, I too have a web to the face. Sometimes I'm lucky and get two in a day. Blah.
 
  • #17
The one that "turned to powder" was probably a mama with her eggs. That was the eggs going everywhere when the silken egg sack was ruptured.

I do not fear spiders, but I sure do respect them. Just last weekend I got bit
by something with two fangs, never saw it, but it SURE caused one heck of an allergic welt. Drove me CRAZY itching!
 
  • #18
NO tarantulas? My big Chilean rosy hair is a snugglepuss! :D

rosys10front.jpg


She actually comes out to me when I open the cage to water or feed her. She took about 2 months to settle in her new big home but now she explores it and plays in her water dish every day just like the old smaller tank.
 
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