Wtf? Black and white spiders (UK).

rmx

Member
Note:

I
think I identified these spiders while writing this (thank you Google image search), but I'll leave the post here in case anyone wants to contribute or discuss this further. Seems I have some jumping spiders making a home around my plant.

I've read various things, and concluded that jumping spiders are actually beneficial to have around a plant and act as pest controllers, feeding on mites and potential plant eating insects. I would like someone to confirm or deny this though.

I now feel bad for catching them and putting them outside (I don't believe in killing anything, no matter how small and disgusting). But if I see any more, I'll probably just let them do their thing.

Roughly similar, equally cute
(:neutral:...) looking version of the
spiders in my grow room:

DSCN6916.jpg


Hey folks,

Sorry in advance for not having pics, I don't have a decent camera at the moment.

Anyway, this is odd. For the second time in 2 days, I've opened my grow cupboard and found a strange little black and white spider crawling around my general grow area (not on my actual plant), but beneath the grow light.

The strange thing is, if these are house spiders, they're the first ones I've seen that look like this.

They move quickly and have that intelligent sort of look to them, as in, they seem more observant and responsive than the average, clumsy UK house spider. These ones dart around quickly as opposed to just crawling away.

The one I found yesterday, I put in a jar and emptied it outside. Now I just went to check on my plant a few minutes ago and found another, identical looking but smaller one crawling around the same place, beneath my grow light at the base of my plants pot. This one had a little set of white fangs, I don't believe the bigger one I caught yesterday had these.

The best way I could describe them is they're small, skittish, quick moving, flat bodied (as opposed to the plump abdomen look of the usual British spider) and they have a white pattern on their backs. Also,Not sure how helpful that is, but maybe there's another grower out there who has seen these.

I would typically have just thought these were an unusual house spider. But the fact that they look totally unlike any spider I've seen here before, combined with the fact they seem to have just started appearing now that my new grow area is setup and there's a small plant growing is making me think they're either attracted to the plant, the light or the warmth.

Edit: Ok, I just tried to ID these spiders and it definitely looks like they're a kind of jumping spider. Hope they don't munch my plant, and even better - that they f*** off because I hate spiders. :cry:

Edit: Hmm, it seems that these spiders might be beneficial in picking off small mites etc. and helping to protect my plant. Bit of a dilemma, as I'd like to have a bit of a plant security force, but at the same time I don't want tons of these spiders running around my house...
 

Coho

Well-Known Member
They are heplful predators. Leave em. But look if they have a food source to attact em.
 

rmx

Member
Good point, Coho! That's something I forgot to mention originally - I was worried that they might have shown up because there was a food source, ie. plant eating insects around - but thankfully, I can't see anything that would suggest that. I will keep an eye out though :razz:
 

bunnyface

Well-Known Member
Hey I have seen them wee spiders,, quite alot, firstly I see them mainly on fence posts , sunning themselves,and they jump.jump fast,.
Second time I have seen them is when I grew in my cupboard, and there was two of them, they were not there when I stripped the carpet outta the space, I belive they were in the wall, living on warm patches,, and they will love your grow room because of the light, they will probly also eat anything that comes for the plants as people have said.
 
So you don't think it's cost of the food source? Just a warm spot to chill out in. I've been trying to catch them for days and keep putting them out if I do but if they are only coming I.guess I'm cool with that.?
 

bunnyface

Well-Known Member
Hey Mr Mc Wilson, just in my view its a lot nicer and infact, probably pretty sweet for them in there, not like a dark cold damp wall, also thats why they have a flat body is cause they squeeze into the cracks in wood and in walls,, I seem to remeber them being jumping spiders or a similar species. The other thing is they wont eat any spider mites but will hunt thrips or anything else on the leaves, bascially a spider mite is too small for them but a predator for the mites would be food for the spider, if you see what i mean.
 
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