Weeding for Kia - Is it Normal or Alien Invasion?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the presence of spiders in gardens, particularly in the context of weeding for Kia. Participants explore whether the observed abundance of spiders is typical or indicative of an unusual phenomenon, such as an "alien invasion." The conversation includes personal experiences and observations related to gardening and spider populations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses surprise at the number of spiders encountered while weeding and questions if this is normal or a sign of an alien invasion.
  • Another participant references Guam, noting that spiders there can be very large, suggesting a comparison to the local spider population.
  • A participant asserts that the abundance of spiders is typical for the UK and similar climates, attributing it to rich soil and moisture that support various insects and arachnids.
  • Another participant shares their experience of having many small, fast spiders in their garden, noting their non-aggressive behavior and the correlation between spider presence and low pesticide use.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether the spider population is normal or indicative of something unusual. Multiple viewpoints are presented regarding the typicality of spider abundance in gardens.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference specific environmental conditions and geographical locations that may influence spider populations, but these factors remain unresolved in terms of their broader implications.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in gardening, arachnology, or those curious about local wildlife and ecological indicators may find this discussion relevant.

wolram
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Totally out of character for me because i hate gardening, but i have been weeding for Kia, while i was doing this i was amazed at how many spiders were about, i could not move without seeing one, is this normal or have we been invaded by alien spiders?
 
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Be thankful you don't live on Guam. There are spiders there the size of small birds.
 
I can be thankful for not living on Guam, but where do all my spiders come from?
 
wolram said:
Totally out of character for me because i hate gardening, but i have been weeding for Kia, while i was doing this i was amazed at how many spiders were about, i could not move without seeing one, is this normal or have we been invaded by alien spiders?
That quite normal for the UK and similar climates where a rich soil and moisture support lots of insects, worms, snails, arachnida and myriapoda.
 
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I, too, have an amazing number of spiders in my garden. They're black or very dark grey, and about 1 to 2 cm. They're lightning fast! They're not aggressive at all, and mostly do what they can to stay out of my way. It's not unusual to see 5 or more in a square foot, especially in warm weather.

One good thing about spiders: if you see a lot of them, it's a good sign there aren't many pesticides around. They're at the top of the insect food chain:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomagnification

I don't like spiders generally, but this kind I don't get too worked up about.
 

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