Spiders are often maligned for being creepy critters, but they are some of the most environmentally friendly pest regulators. Because they actively feed on flies, moths, mosquitoes and roaches, spiders eliminate parasites and many other vectors of disease—protecting both humans and plants from harm.
A new University of Maryland-led study published online in the journal Ecology found one simple way to take advantage of this natural ecosystem service: give tree-dwelling spiders a more diverse habitat.
“We found that there’s a strong link between the species diversity of tree habitats and the population density of the spiders that live in them,” said Karin Burghardt, senior author of the study and assistant professor of entomology at UMD. “Spiders really like complex habitats, so having a large variety of tree species with different structural features like height, canopy cover and foliage density will help increase spider abundance and also the natural pest regulation they provide.”
Read more at: University of Maryland
Lecauge venusta spider (also known as orchard orbweaver spider) found by the researchers as they surveyed the tree plots. (Photo Credit: Karin Burghardt)