SACANDAGA GARDEN CLUB - By Barbara Henry

I saw a spider the other day in my house.  Not so unusual you may think but spiders usually lay their eggs in the fall, die and it is the young that we see in the spring. 

Deborah Smith-Fiola of Rutgers Cooperative Extension has some interesting information on spiders in general that I wanted to share with you.  

Most spiders are shy animals that run away from humans.  The vast majority pose no danger at all.  Even the poisonous spiders – notably the black widow and the brown recluse – are not aggressive and frequent undisturbed areas.  Spiders only bite people in self-defense or when defending their eggs.  In fact, research shows that spiders are often blamed for bites caused by fleas or other pests.

Many people notice an influx of spiders around the home in the fall.  This is the time of year that some species mature.  Mating must take place in order for egg laying to occur before the adults are wiped out by freezing temperatures.  Many male spiders during this time leave their normally protected shelters to venture about in search of female spiders.  Yes, they may walk near you but spiders have dreadfully poor eyesight and probably don’t realize that they are near you.  If found indoors, just scoop them up and usher them outdoors!  Use a broom to direct the spider toward a doorway or invert a large jar over it and slide a piece of paper under the mouth of the jar to trap the spider within and then release it outside. 

All spiders are generalist predators.  This benefits the IPM practitioner in that they provide important biological control.  Research on the forest floor has shown that 78% of all the pest insects preyed upon were consumed by spiders.  Other research has determined that spiders can reduce pest damage in garden situations by 60%-80%.  Research on biological control of the azalea lacebug has also shown that the dominant predators of immature lacebugs are spiders.  Therefore, it is to our benefit to safeguard spiders as much as possible to benefit from this ‘free’ pest control.

Research has additionally found that spiders also influence pest populations in ways other than direct consumption.  The presence of spiders can actually cause other insects to forage elsewhere, to stop feeding and even to drop off plants completely.  From the perspective of good biological control spiders become active quite early in the growing season, before other beneficial insects (e.g. parasitoids) build up to noteworthy levels and stay at the site until late in the season.

Encouraging spiders in the landscape is relatively simple.  The best way to maintain plentiful spiders in the landscape is not to use pesticides.  Spiders are very sensitive to pesticide sprays, particularly to pyrethroids.  Therefore, if pesticides are necessary, only spot treat plants.  Spot treatment is an IPM technique that maintains beneficial insects by only treating plants that have damaging levels of pests.  When only plants are treated where the pest problem is severe, beneficials survive on untreated plants.  Another way to encourage spiders is to apply and maintain mulch around landscape plants.  Mulch provides a hiding place for spiders, buffers temperature extremes and supports an alternative food source of detritus feeders to sustain them during times of limited pest prey.

Her full article can be found at Common Sense Pest Control Quarterly.  XBI:1Winter2000.

Our club meets again on Thursday March 1.  We have a special presentation for the community on Orchids for Upstate NY Growers. It will be held in the upstairs meeting room of the Northville Public Library at 1:30 p.m.  Janet Vinyard will talk about cultural requirements and matching orchids to our own environment.  She will talk about watering, fertilizing, summering outdoors and pest management.  There will be a handout and plants for sale.  We will have refreshments afterwards and I am looking forward to seeing many of you there.  Come on up and introduce yourselves. 

Our third special presentation will take place on Thursday, April 5 at the Northville Public Library.  Viktoria Serafin will talk to us about wildflowers.  Mark your calendars now so you don’t forget!   

Special recognition goes to Ginger Driscoll whose name we are delighted to add to the Federated Garden Clubs of New York State Book of Recognition.  Special recognition also goes to Doris Fordyce to whom we are pleased to award life membership in the Federated Garden Clubs of New York State.  Doris and Ginger have been active members for many years and we thank them for all their tireless work.  Without such volunteers our club would not thrive. 

See you on March 1 and as an Chinese saying goes – If you want to be happy for a lifetime, plant a garden.