The Most Common Garden Spiders Are More Interesting Than You Think

If you do any gardening in your spare time then you probably have a love hate relationship with insects. That is understandable since some insects can devour or kill your garden while other types of insects can prevent garden damage by devouring those pesky insect-pests. But have you ever tried identifying some of the spiders that you find crawling about your garden? Some are scary looking, but very few, such as orb-weavers and harvestmen, are harmless.

The biggest spider that you will find in your garden will most likely be a golden orb-weaver. The GOW dwells in the south and is known for the golden hued webs that they weave. If you have ever spotted a web that appeared to be golden in color, then it was certainly created by the enormous golden orb weaver. There is no reason to fear these behemoths if you find them crawling in your garden since their venom only feels like a bee sting. Only if you are allergic to bee stings should you run from this scary looking spider. However, the GOW is also hesitant when it comes to biting, and they are often handled for long periods of time without injury by spider enthusiasts.

You are also likely to spot both harvestmen arachnids as well as the well-known daddy long legs arachnids in your garden. There are many myths about both of these often-mentioned arachnids, and they are not spiders. Rather these arachnids are distinguished from spiders in that they possess only two eyes and a one-piece head and thorax. These arachnids are also quite distinct from spiders in that neither one of these species of arachnid spins silk, they are not venomous they are not predators and they often resort to scavenging for sustenance. Harvestmen arachnids are nothing to fear as they are largely nocturnal and prefer to avoid contact with all animals by dwelling under logs or pieces of wood that you might find in your garden. If you find one, toss it in the yard; it will survive.

Have you ever sustained a bite wound from a spider or an arachnid that was dwelling in your garden? If yes, what type of spider or arachnid bit you?