Fishing Spiders Are Organic Garden Helpers

Fishing spiders are native to many areas of the Midwest and as far north as Ottawa, Canada. They are in the family Pisaurina, which has three genera and thirteen species, according to BugGuide.net. Fishing spiders are so named because they can travel over water using its surface tension, and then dive when they spot underwater prey, such as insects and tiny fish. Yes, they may bite if threatened, but generally they are not harmful to humans. They are similar to wolf spiders (Lycosaidae, sp.) but have more ornate markings and a different eye arrangement. Fishing spiders have eight eyes of similar size arranged in two rows of four on their foreheads. Wolf spiders' eyes are in three rows, with some eyes larger than others.

The average size of a dark fishing spider is about a hand-width. The one pictured above had a leg span of approximately four inches. It was photographed in a favorite hunting/hiding place: a decayed section of a tree. They are shy creatures who will scoot to hide under bark or leaves when you approach. Besides woods and forests, you'll find them in dark sheds and barns, basements, undisturbed closets, attics, garages and anyplace where they won't be disturbed. When they are at rest, fishing spiders flatten their legs against the resting surface. In the resting position, they stretch their legs forward and behind, giving them an elongated appearance.

Roaches and crickets are two of their favorite foods, and for this reason, some people allow a fishing spider or two to inhabit a basement. They are not web-building spiders. They hunt and capture live prey, and eat it immediately. Once fishing spiders have cleared the house of insects, they move on.

Female fishing spiders carry their egg sacs by their chelicerae and pedipalps, which are modified mouthpart appendages that have a fang-like appearance. (In male spiders, pedipalps are used to move sperm.) A female finds a friendly plant where she can attach her egg sac, and she spins a "nursery web" to secure it in place. She stands guard until the eggs hatch.

I don't particularly want large arachnids in my house, but if I find a fishing spider or a wolf spider, I won't kill it. These gentle giants can be captured carefully in a butterfly net and released outdoors. They are fantastic predators for an organic garden, eating thousands of insects over a growing season.

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Additional images and reading:
http://www.spiderzrule.com/fishing.htm
http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=139442