Spiders in the Garden
Protect spiders in your garden, because they prey on insects and other pests. Most spiders seen in the open during the day aren’t likely to bite you or won’t cause lasting harm if they do bite you. Bites from some spiders might require you to seek medical attention spend most of their time hidden. Spiders are arachnids, not insects. They have eight legs and two body parts—an abdomen and a combined head and thorax. They lack wings and antennae. Spider families vary by body shape, web type, hunting or other behavior, and the arrangement and relative size of their eyes.
Western Black Widow…
Latrodectus hesperus, is the most well-known cobweb spider. The primary stage that harms people is the adult female (left), usually recognizable by a red hourglass on the underside of its abdomen and shown here hanging upside down in her web. The adult male (right) is lighter colored and smaller than the female.
Funnel weavers…
spin thick, flattened webs and sit at the center of a silken hole, or funnel, running out to capture prey that contact the web. Often seen are Hololena nedra (right) and the common house spider, Tegenariaspecies, (left) found in gardens and on walls and ceilings inside the house.