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Clematis spider

lavenderlasslavenderlass Posts: 89
in Plants

Hi,

While walking round the garden this morning I noticed one of the clematis had yellow spiders clustered around the head of one of the stems.  The spiders are no bigger than a pin head, if that, and I have never seen them before.  I don't know if they are harmful or not but I have sprayed them with bug clear.  Thinking about it perhaps I shouldn't have.  They do not appear to be on any of the other clematis and only on this particular stem.  Please can anyone help?  Would hate to think I had killed them if they are good for plants.

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    They're just spiders   image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Spiders are carnivores and don't eat plants.  They eat insects so are a friend in the garden.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505

    Sounds like they were spiderlings

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,146

    Not only are they harmless, they're food for all the baby birds that are fledging at the moment. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Liri posted a pic of some on the Forkers thread yesterday. A little gathering of them on their web.

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • lavenderlasslavenderlass Posts: 89

    Many thanks for your replies.  I feel guilty that I have sprayed them now but having not seen them before and knowing that some of the new leaves on the clematis are wrinkled up and do not look too healthy I thought the spiders were the cause.  In future I will leave them well alone but thank you for replying.

  • GaryRGaryR Posts: 32

    Found a few of these clusters over the past week, one on wisteria and the other on a honeysuckle and found a tiny little web with one in the middle yesterday. Most of them won't reach maturity and will become food for something else and the rest will keep the number of flies, mosquitoes and wasps down later in the year. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Lavenderlass - not to worry, it's all a learning curve. The chances are that your clematis has suffered from a bit of cold damage as there have been low temps after a warm spell in most parts of the country. It means new, soft growth has appeared and then been hit by sudden cold. if that's the case, it will recover once it warms up a bit.

    The dry weather could also mean your clem has got a bit dry. That's another reason for some browning foliage. I have quite a lot here. If your clem doesn't improve, come back and let us know and we can hopefully help you out image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • lavenderlasslavenderlass Posts: 89

    Thank you all again for your replies and to Fairy Girl, I was thinking I might be losing at least a couple of them.  I must have been very lucky as I have not noticed either of these to problems before. I will be very careful in future what I spray.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,146

    imageI don't spray any insects ... the birds, hoverflies, lacewings and  ladybirds deal with them for me ....

    Last edited: 24 May 2017 17:13:15


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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