Thanks to the University of Maryland / Maryland Grows this article on how to let spiders help in your vegetable garden.
A few years ago during the early spring, my brother, mother, and I noticed several quarter-sized, brownish-colored egg cases in our high tunnel. Our research taught us they were gifts from black and yellow garden spiders, Argiope aurantia. These spiders are also called yellow garden orb-weavers, writing spiders, or zipper spiders. This made sense, as the tomato vines are trellised to 8 feet high. They provide the perfect environment for these magnificent arachnids. Furthermore, these spiders spin large circular webs, high off the ground, which contain a highly visible, zig-zag pattern in the center that is called a stabilimentum.
Recent Comments