spiders indoors
Posted by holly mitchell on August 17, 2005
Q: I love spiders, several eggs are hatching in our house right now. I need to know if I should put the baby spiders outside or let them colonize in the house (I don't mind, natural pest control) to give them the best chance of survival.
Habitat: suburban/yard
State: North Carolina
Habitat: suburban/yard
A: For their best chance of survival, it's the outside! Although they'll be much less likely to be caught by a predator inside, they're also much more likely to die from starvation unless your home is really full of insects.
I'd release them outside where they're well suited for living and feeding on what's there. Many baby spiders balloon and yours will be able to do this outdoors, not indoors. Ballooning occurs when the baby releases silk on a windy day and allows the wind to carry them aloft to new places. This is an especially efficient way for spiders to travel and colonize new places. They're often one of the first animals on islands.
So, I'd suggest you allow them their freedom and they'll take it from there. Thanks for asking and it's so good to hear from someone who likes spiders - they're really our friends.
John Wiessinger ( August 17, 2005)