Allotments 4 All

Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: redimp on April 03, 2005, 18:15:43

Title: Little Red Spiders
Post by: redimp on April 03, 2005, 18:15:43: When I was digging earlier I disturbed a nest of little red spiders :'(. The adult was about 1cm wide (inc legs) and about 1cm long. It was bright red and its legs were postitioned forward. I have tried identifying it using the internet without success.

If I had a digital camera I would have taken a picture at the back. Now if I pass round this collection plate... ;)
Title: Re: Little Red Spiders
Post by: tim on April 03, 2005, 18:50:14: Don't know, but I would say 'don't worry' - they're not THE red spider!

But what?? Post one to HDRA?
Title: Re: Little Red Spiders
Post by: redimp on April 03, 2005, 18:54:56: No - they were pointed out to me as the mite but they were way too big - and I should think it is still a lot too cold for them as well. All spiders are welcome in my lottie, garden and home - biological control of other minibeasts.

I had great fun picking the little black beetles off my runners last year and dropping them into the hammock webs that are in my extensive ivy. I actually managed to condition the spiders to come out when my hand hovered over their web and not run away like they had done at the start. ;D
Title: Re: Little Red Spiders
Post by: derbex on April 04, 2005, 13:10:50: Try :

http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/Spiders/spidhome.htm
Title: Re: Little Red Spiders
Post by: redimp on April 04, 2005, 16:25:48: I had a look at that site - unfortunately I once ran a monitor callibration program on my computer and the monitor has been a little dark ever since (cannot seem to do anything about it) and I have not been able to see my spiders in any of thsoe pictures.
Title: Re: Little Red Spiders
Post by: kenkew on April 04, 2005, 17:36:20: Eh! Red. Do you have a lime tree close by?
Title: Re: Little Red Spiders
Post by: Palustris on April 04, 2005, 17:39:54: Red spider mites have ten legs anyway, if you have a good enough magnifying glass to count them!
Title: Re: Little Red Spiders
Post by: ciderself on April 04, 2005, 22:40:17: I've seen these HUGE red spiders on my allotment for the first time this year. They are quite scarey and I wonder what kind of damage they are going to inflict?
Title: Re: Little Red Spiders
Post by: djbrenton on April 05, 2005, 17:14:50: They might posibly be chiggers ( often mistaken for spiders ) which don't harm plants but do latch onto humans and leave little bites.
Title: Re: Little Red Spiders
Post by: redimp on April 05, 2005, 18:21:08: I have never heard of chiggers and cannot find much info on the net about them - and chiggers sound a bit too small - something I am grateful for.