7 Reasons Why You Should Never Chase Spiders Out of Your Garden

Do you see a spider in your garden and immediately reach for a broom? Stop! Many people (especially the arachnophobes among us) would prefer to fight or chase away those creepy spiders. But spiders in the garden are incredibly useful. So before you chase away these eight-legged creatures, read on to find out why you shouldn't.

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The next time you find yourself groping through a spider web with your sleepy head, or startled by an unexpected spider while gardening, remember that spiders are actually useful. Here are 7 reasons why it's best to leave spiders alone.

Spiders are avid hunters, catching dozens of insects every day. Think mosquitoes , flies, and other creatures you don't want to encounter. By giving spiders space, you reduce the risk of mosquito bites, annoying buzzing, or insects sneaking into your home. Without spiders, the insect population in your garden and home would quickly get out of control.

Aphids, caterpillars, and other pests can seriously damage flowers and vegetable plants. Spiders are natural enemies of these pests and, with their eight legs, help keep your garden healthy – without you having to lift a finger.

Many gardeners quickly resort to chemical pesticides when dealing with pests. But poison kills not only pests, but also beneficial species—like ladybugs that control your aphids . Spiders do their work for free, and they're much more selective. Each spider has its own niche, such as flying insects or ground crawlers. Of course, they also catch some beneficial insects, but they do so without wiping out the entire population at once.

Spiders are an important link in the food chain: they eat pests, but they're also on the menu themselves. Birds and hedgehogs in your garden love a nutritious spider snack. Removing spiders disrupts the natural balance.

A spider web in the garden is more than just a safety net. The ingenious construction is strong and often stunningly beautiful. Especially in the morning, you can see how glistening dewdrops or frost transform the threads into true works of art. And did you know that the threads of garden spiders are stronger than Kevlar in bulletproof vests? It's no wonder people try to recreate this substance!

Afraid of spiders? Then it's good to know that garden spiders are truly harmless in the Netherlands and Belgium. They don't bite and don't seek out humans. They're solely focused on their prey and prefer to stay in their webs or dark corners. They completely ignore your presence, as long as you don't disturb their habitat.

If you see a lot of spiders in your garden, that's a good sign. Spiders often signal that your garden offers a safe and natural habitat for all kinds of animals. Their presence means you're managing a vibrant and healthy piece of nature—right in your own backyard.

Tip!

In the Netherlands and Flanders you will mainly encounter these (completely harmless) spiders in the garden:

Cross spider: The king or queen of garden spiders. You can recognize them by the white cross on their backs and the intricate circular webs they build between plants or against fences—or across your garden path. They're a great repellent for mosquitoes and flies.
Common house spider: This one actually prefers to be indoors, but it's also often found in sheds and corners of the garden. It builds funnel-shaped webs and actively hunts insects at night.
Vibrating spider: It has extremely long legs and vibrates up and down in its web to confuse and capture its prey. It often sits under eaves or in a corner. It also eats other spiders (even the much larger house spiders).
Wasp spider: A striking creature with yellow-and-black stripes. The southern wasp spider is becoming increasingly common in the Netherlands and Flanders. It builds conspicuous webs low in the grass and enjoys catching grasshoppers, mosquitoes, and flies.
Jumping spider: Many people with arachnophobia are much less afraid of jumping spiders. They're not web builders, but active hunters with extremely sharp eyes that hunt across walls and patio tiles.

In recent years, we've been hearing more and more stories about the false wolf spider, which is advancing from the south into the Netherlands and Flanders. But should you, as a gardener, be worried about this spider? Not really. It's a large, brown-spotted spider that gives many people the creeps, but it's not dangerous to humans. If it waves its front legs in the air at you, back away and leave it alone. It's not likely to bite, and if it does, it feels no more severe than a wasp sting. And: this spider also helps clean up insects.