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.

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.

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.

"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.

"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

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"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?

I walk there most days Mary, but I have longer legs but not so many )

If not no, they are not the same spiders.

I thought I did'nt recognise any of them )

Wally


Mary

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.