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Is This Spider Friend or Foe?

There are many spiders in the xeric garden – they love the dry conditions, and the many insects that you will welcome there. Spider identification is a difficult process; first you need to be observant about what kind of web they weave, if any, and where they prefer to be.

Unidentified-spider

Some are partial to open sites where their webs can be strung between trees or shrubs.

These seem to have a knack for making their webs right at face level, so you walk into them early in the morning.

Others are tunneling spiders, making a hole in the ground with a trapdoor, lying in wait.

Others, like the brightly patterned jumping spiders, don’t use a web at all – they simply sprint after their prey, running them down on foot.

Each spider occupies a very small niche, perfectly adapted to its environment.

Find out more about spiders in your xeric garden with the Spider Identification Guide here:

Scroll through the entries below…

…click on the links for more about each spider…

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False widow???
A nest of around 6 found inside the rim of a table that had been in the garden for a while. Hi Susannah, I don’t think this is a black widow, if that’s …

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unk
Came out of my tiki torch Based on the long hairs, and striped legs I’m going to go with the Long Legged Wolf Spider or close relative. Going …

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Poisonous or Not?
I was sitting on my couch here in South Western Oklahoma about 8 pm and it was fairly dim lighted. I put my arm up on the arm rest of the couch and I …

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Stripey Spider
A friend in Florida fond this spider outside on her porch and she wanted to know what kind it is and if its dangerous? Hi Sharon, this spider is …

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What is this spider?
Found in my house tonight. Las Vegas, Nevada. The picture looks a little green, it looked more brown. If you know what it is or is it dangerous let me …

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What is this spider?
Hi We live in South Africa and this spider has been in the garden for almost 6 months. Do you know what it is, and if it is venomous? Hi Andre, …

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not sure
Found both of these spiders at my house and both seem to be very aggressive to people. I am not concerned with my self, but I am concerned with my 4 year …

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what kind of spider is this?
I was camping in Wisconsin and found this spider on the back side of my tent. I saw the shadow from the front and thought that the shadow was going to …

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Spider 002
cream coloured with light brown strip Drought Smart Plants reply: Hi Dale, without knowing more about where you found this great looking racy type, …

big, black, and hairy
My husband and I were getting ready for bed when I spotted a spider crawling across the carpet. He was 2 – 2.5 inches in size, velvet black, long thick …

scorpion
It is a small scorpion about 2-2 1/2 inches long with its tail laying straight backwards. It is a really dark brown almost black and its underside is …

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What type of spider is this?
My friend actually found this waiting in her hallway when she got home. She trapped it under a glass as she thought it may be one that bites & she had …

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Can someone tell me what kind of spider this is?
I was carring in some stackable trays from my garage and the next thing I knew it felt like something was stinging me on the upper inside part of my leg, …

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Elegant Crab Spider
I rescued this lovely spider from the screen in the bathroom window – she must have thought that a winter indoors would suit her, but I had other ideas. …

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Jumping Spider
These little spiders seem to have a sense of humour – this one spent about ten minutes investigating me, my book and the arm of the chair, and easily jumped …

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Daddy Long Legs Spider
Daddy Long Legs spiders are active and athletic. Their extremely long legs and big body seems at first glance to be like a childs drawing, but they are …

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Goldenrod Spider
Known by their Latin name of Minumena vatia, these elegant pale yellow spiders have red stripes on their sides, leading to their other name of Red-Spotted …

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what type of spider is this?
I saw this spider a few months ago on an old car ramp leaning by a little shed,I haven’t seen one like it before so was a little bewildered as to what …

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Black Widow Spider
The name ‘Black Widow Spider’ creates a horror in many people – even though many Black Widow Spiders are not black. The juveniles can be tan, beige or …

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Huge Black spider!!!
I live in scotland so the spiders you get aren’t really that big until this came along!!! Would be great if you could tell me what type it is and if …

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Sheet Web Weavers
There are many different spiders in this family, and even an experienced biologist can have difficulty with this one. They have long slender legs with …

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Nursery Web Spider
These drab coloured brownish grey spiders hide under pieces of wood, or among the larger bits of unfinished compost. They’re quick to run away, carrying …