I was on my allotment this morning in the
nice warm sunshine and noticed hundreds
of spiders running around all over the ground.

Are these spiders the same as the ones that
live in my house, my shed, etc?

And can I hope that they will eat the flies and
bugs that live off my vegetables?

I do hope so.

Wally

On May 11, 12:16*pm, "Wally" wrote:
I was on my allotment this morning in the
nice warm sunshine and noticed hundreds
of spiders running around all over the ground.

Are these spiders the same as the ones that
live in my house, my shed, etc?

And can I hope that they will eat the flies and
bugs that live off my vegetables?

I do hope so.

Wally

Wolf spiders (genus Pardosa from Lycosidae) are small (body about
small or medium finger nail size) and dark and run around. They catch
prey on foot so to speak and you seem them all over when the soil is
open. They run very fast and the females often carry bags of eggs
attached to their rear ends. You do not get them much indoors.
All spiders are good and nice anyway although they will probably not
eat any of the flies or bugs you are worried about. Ladybirds might
be better at that.

"Wally" wrote in message
...
I was on my allotment this morning in the
nice warm sunshine and noticed hundreds
of spiders running around all over the ground.

Are these spiders the same as the ones that
live in my house, my shed, etc?

Is your house withing spider-walking distance of your allotment?

If not no, they are not the same spiders.

Mary

In article ,
Des Higgins writes:
| On May 11, 12:16=A0pm, "Wally" wrote:
|
| And can I hope that they will eat the flies and
| bugs that live off my vegetables?
|
| Wolf spiders (genus Pardosa from Lycosidae) are small (body about
| small or medium finger nail size) and dark and run around. They catch
| prey on foot so to speak and you seem them all over when the soil is
| open. They run very fast and the females often carry bags of eggs
| attached to their rear ends. You do not get them much indoors.

The ones in my childhood were body about walnut size, and you did get
them indoors. Scary but harmless - unlike the snakes and scorpions!

| All spiders are good and nice anyway although they will probably not
| eat any of the flies or bugs you are worried about. Ladybirds might
| be better at that.

They will unquestionably eat some. Probably not a lot.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On May 11, 2:42*pm, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:
In article ,Des Higgins writes:

| On May 11, 12:16=A0pm, "Wally" wrote:
|
| And can I hope that they will eat the flies and
| bugs that live off my vegetables?
|
| Wolf spiders (genus Pardosa from Lycosidae) are small (body about
| small or medium finger nail size) and dark and run around. *They catch
| prey on foot so to speak and you seem them all over when the soil is
| open. *They run very fast and the females often carry bags of eggs
| attached to their rear ends. *You do not get them much indoors.

The ones in my childhood were body about walnut size, and you did get
them indoors. *Scary but harmless - unlike the snakes and scorpions!

I take it from this, you were brought up in a zoo or Australia?
It is very hard to have a sensible conversation about venomous animals
with Australians in the room. They are apt to interject with
statements like:
"the ones back home are the size of a dog and will take your leg off
clean at the knee as soon as they look at you."
Comparing Irish Spiders to Oz ones is like comparing a packet of
crisps to 5 courses in a double Michelin Star restaurant.

On Sun, 11 May 2008 12:16:16 +0100, "Wally"
wrote:

I was on my allotment this morning in the
nice warm sunshine and noticed hundreds
of spiders running around all over the ground.

Are these spiders the same as the ones that
live in my house, my shed, etc?


If it's a couple of miles from your allotment to your house, it is
unlikely
;-)

On Sun, 11 May 2008 12:16:16 +0100, "Wally"
wrote:

I was on my allotment this morning in the
nice warm sunshine and noticed hundreds
of spiders running around all over the ground.

They are cute aren't they?

Are these spiders the same as the ones that
live in my house, my shed, etc?

No.

And can I hope that they will eat the flies and
bugs that live off my vegetables?

They will take some, all spiders are useful and beneficial. But you
need a good selection of other predators including ladybirds and
lacewings as well.

In article ,
Des Higgins writes:
|
| | Wolf spiders (genus Pardosa from Lycosidae) are small (body about
| | small or medium finger nail size) and dark and run around. =A0They catc=
| h
| | prey on foot so to speak and you seem them all over when the soil is
| | open. =A0They run very fast and the females often carry bags of eggs
| | attached to their rear ends. =A0You do not get them much indoors.
|
| The ones in my childhood were body about walnut size, and you did get
| them indoors. Scary but harmless - unlike the snakes and scorpions!
|
| I take it from this, you were brought up in a zoo or Australia?

Nope. Try Africa :-)

| It is very hard to have a sensible conversation about venomous animals
| with Australians in the room. They are apt to interject with
| statements like:
| "the ones back home are the size of a dog and will take your leg off
| clean at the knee as soon as they look at you."

Indeed. They do have a point that they do have some seriously venomous
animals, though not as much so as they often make out. However,
compared with many Merkins, who think their cuddly little wildlife is
dangerous, they are paragons of rationality.

Of course, the Little Englanders who get paranoid about even the most
harmless creatures (such as vipers and lynx) are beyond hope.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On May 11, 5:50*pm, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:
In article ,Des Higgins writes:

|
| | Wolf spiders (genus Pardosa from Lycosidae) are small (body about
| | small or medium finger nail size) and dark and run around. =A0They catc=
| h
| | prey on foot so to speak and you seem them all over when the soil is
| | open. =A0They run very fast and the females often carry bags of eggs
| | attached to their rear ends. =A0You do not get them much indoors..
|
| The ones in my childhood were body about walnut size, and you did get
| them indoors. *Scary but harmless - unlike the snakes and scorpions!
|
| I take it from this, you were brought up in a zoo or Australia?

Nope. *Try Africa :-)

Ooops :-)
They probably do not get scorpions in Oz.
Anyway, you get good spiders in Africa too, I am told.


| It is very hard to have a sensible conversation about venomous animals
| with Australians in the room. *They are apt to interject with
| statements like:
| "the ones back home are the size of a dog and will take your leg off
| clean at the knee as soon as they look at you."

Indeed. *They do have a point that they do have some seriously venomous
animals, though not as much so as they often make out. *However,
compared with many Merkins, who think their cuddly little wildlife is
dangerous, they are paragons of rationality.

Of course, the Little Englanders who get paranoid about even the most
harmless creatures (such as vipers and lynx) are beyond hope.

Vipers I can understand.
Small flies and Woodlice scare some people.






Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Des Higgins writes:
|
| Of course, the Little Englanders who get paranoid about even the most
| harmless creatures (such as vipers and lynx) are beyond hope.
|
| Vipers I can understand.

Why? They are less of a risk to humans in the UK than bumblebees
or mice.

| Small flies and Woodlice scare some people.

It's not the being scared that is the issue, it is the becoming
paranoid. We desperately need lynx in England to deal with the
harm caused by uncontrolled deer. Yet there is serious and very
influential opposition on the grounds of danger to humans.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Stephen Wolstenholme writes:
|
| There's no need to go to Africa or Australia we now get yellow-tailed
| scorpions in England.

True, but they are no more harmful than a wasp, and you are millions
of times less likely to be stung by one.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
Des Higgins writes:

| It is very hard to have a sensible conversation about venomous animals
| with Australians in the room. They are apt to interject with
| statements like:
| "the ones back home are the size of a dog and will take your leg off
| clean at the knee as soon as they look at you."

Indeed. They do have a point that they do have some seriously venomous
animals, though not as much so as they often make out.

My experience has been a bit different, but then I live in Australia. I can
understand the expat/tourist hyperbole put on for an audience of
non-Australians, but the odd question from the listener should sort out the
genuine from the liars. I find it rather depends on where the Australians
live and what their experiences have been with our venomous wildlife.

I've found that Autralians born in large towns and who have never lived in
the country are far more paranoid about snakes than those who are country
born. I haven't yet come across any Australian who is more than mildly
observant about sharks or spiders.

And Des, they aren't as big as a dog, but the Brown snake I have living
somewhere in my garden is about 4 ft long (but we haven't managed to kill
him yet so we haven't measured - the mongrel has lived in my garden for at
least the last 6 years) and the Tiger snakes we've killed here have been
about 3 and a half ft long and the Red Bellied Black snake that lives under
our other house on our other farm is about 5 ft long but much less venomous
than the other two mentioned. So they are adults and the Brown and the
Tiger have enough venom to kill a Jack Russell in about 20 minutes but the
Red BelliedBlack would take longer. Also enough to kill a human if not
treated. The only person I have heard of who has been bitten by a snake in
this area in the last 20 years suffered no ill damage as the first strike
from the brown snake puctured his jeans and his skin but injected no venom.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article
,
Des Higgins writes:
|
| Of course, the Little Englanders who get paranoid about even the most
| harmless creatures (such as vipers and lynx) are beyond hope.
|
| Vipers I can understand.

Why? They are less of a risk to humans in the UK than bumblebees
or mice.

What risks are there from mice???

And how many times have you been stung by a bumble bee? I'd moved and kept
many bombus nests and never been stung.

To improve the image of adders (vipers) a count is going to be undertaken in
England - or it might be UK.

| Small flies and Woodlice scare some people.

It's not the being scared that is the issue, it is the becoming
paranoid. We desperately need lynx in England to deal with the
harm caused by uncontrolled deer.

Guns are enough. That way people can enjoy the meat.

Mary

In article ,
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given writes:
|
| I've found that Autralians born in large towns and who have never lived in
| the country are far more paranoid about snakes than those who are country
| born. I haven't yet come across any Australian who is more than mildly
| observant about sharks or spiders.

The first sentence is very true, and not just about Australia. I have met
a fair number who were worried about funnelweb spiders (with good reason).


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
"Mary Fisher" writes:
|
| | Of course, the Little Englanders who get paranoid about even the most
| | harmless creatures (such as vipers and lynx) are beyond hope.
| |
| | Vipers I can understand.
|
| Why? They are less of a risk to humans in the UK than bumblebees
| or mice.
|
| What risks are there from mice???

Try infection :-)

| And how many times have you been stung by a bumble bee? I'd moved and kept
| many bombus nests and never been stung.

Several times a year. I tread on them in bare feet - poor things.
I have no problems picking them up in my bare hands when they get
trapped indoors, of course.

| It's not the being scared that is the issue, it is the becoming
| paranoid. We desperately need lynx in England to deal with the
| harm caused by uncontrolled deer.
|
| Guns are enough. That way people can enjoy the meat.

You also need people who are capable of stalking them, shooting safely,
willing to put the time in, and allowed to do so. Those used to be
common characteristics, and are now very rare.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.