Veteran gardener and club president, Nancy Englund, recently treated us to some revelations about spiders.  She loves spiders! Why? They’re nature’s pest control for unwanted insects in gardens and homes. The business of spiders is dealing relentlessly with insect pests.  So, why not make your garden inviting to spiders?

The Case For Spiders

  • Spiders are eight-legged, non-toxic insect pest controllers both in and out of the home.

  • Spiders set up camp only where the bugs are.

  • Daddy-Long-Legs are the workhorses of indoor pest control.

  • While spectacular “big orb” spider webs get all the attention – take a close look sometime at that “little gal” in the lower corner of your room and all the dead carpet moths under it.

  • Most times, you don’t even realize you have a spider in the house or garden. (That is, until the corpses of insect pests start to accumulate on the floor or ground.)

    • More spiders mean fewer mosquitos. And, fewer mosquitos mean less chances of spreading such viruses as West Nile.  These viruses have all been detected at some time in Orange County.

Make Your Garden Inviting to Spiders

  • Don’t be too tidy. Allow webs to remain on sheds and other structures.

  • Leave plant stalks standing in winter.

  • Don’t clear plant debris until the spring to avoid disturbing spider egg sacs.

Still can’t stand living with spiders in the house? If that’s the case, gently move them outside!  Allow them to go about their business outdoors of being a natural predator that deals relentlessly with insect pests.  Doing less is doing more for the planet.