Spiders don’t need much encouragement to take up residence in our gardens! They’re quite happy in leaf litter, stacks of rubble, or piles of logs. A healthy spider population helps to reduce insect pests and maintain a natural balance, so we should welcome them into our green spaces.
A recent arrival in the UK from the continent is a large and colourful variety known as the wasp spider. Although it may look scary it isn’t dangerous and is actually related to the common garden spider.
The spread of these wasp spiders may be linked to climate change, especially with milder winters that let young spiders survive into springtime. If you have a sighting in your garden the British Arachnological Society (BAS) will be keen to learn about it from you.
Want to find out more about this exotic and distinctive looking species? Get your questions answered here…
Many people hate and fear spiders, but these creepy crawlers play an important role in controlling insect populations. Some spiders specialize in preying on stinging insects like wasps, bees, and flies. Understanding which spiders eat these pests can help you appreciate the benefits they provide. This guide covers 20 of the most common spiders that hunt wasps, bees, and flies.
Why Do Some Spiders Eat Wasps, Bees, and Flies?
Spiders are carnivores that feed mainly on insects. Wasps, bees, and flies make up a large proportion of available prey for many spider species.
These insects also provide a good source of nutrition. They contain ample protein and fat to support growth and reproduction. Additionally, wasps and bees rarely carry pesticide residues since they are not directly targeted for control.
Some spiders have developed hunting strategies and traits that help them overcome the defenses of stinging insects:
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Thick body hair and armor-like abdomens protect spiders from multiple stings
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Lightning fast reflexes allow ambush spiders to grab prey before it can sting.
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Strong webs entangle prey while keeping the spider safely distant.
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Venom quickly immobilizes and kills prey.
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Camouflage hides the spider as it lies in wait for victims.
Spider Hunting Strategies
Spiders employ two main strategies to hunt wasps, bees, and flies: trapping prey in webs or ambushing it.
Web-Building Spiders
Web builders like orb weavers and cobweb spiders capture insects that get stuck in their sticky silk. Sensing vibrations of struggling prey, the spider rushes over, injects a venomous bite, and swaths the insect in more silk. Once the prey is fully immobilized, the spider returns later to feed. Common web-building spiders that eat these stinging insects include:
- Garden spiders
- Orbweavers
- Cobweb spiders
Ambush Spiders
Ambush predators like crab spiders and jumping spiders grab prey using stealth and speed. They often wait camouflaged on or near flowers and pounce when prey comes within reach. Their venom quickly paralyzes insects so they can’t fight back. Some ambush spiders that regularly eat wasps, bees, and flies are:
- Crab spiders
- Lynx spiders
- Jumping spiders
- Wolf spiders
20 Common Spiders That Eat Wasps, Bees, and Flies
Here are 20 of the most common spiders known to hunt wasps, bees, and flies:
1. Yellow Garden Spider
The yellow garden spider builds large webs and waits for prey to become ensnared. One of the most common orbweavers, they are easy to spot with their black and yellow striped bodies.
2. Banded Garden Spider
This orbweaver builds big webs up to 2 meters across. The colorful yellow and black bands warn predators of its toxicity.
3. Silver Garden Orbweaver
This spider reflects UV light with its silver body to attract pollinating insects. It builds a sticky orb web with a retreat off to the side.
4. Hawaiian Garden Spider
Also called the Orchard Spider, this black and yellow orbweaver is common around gardens and buildings in Hawaii.
5. Florida Garden Spider
With a legspan over 2 inches, this sizable orbweaver is restricted to the southeastern United States.
6. Black Tunnelweb Spider
This reclusive spider hides in a tube web under rocks. At night it waits at the entrance to ambush passing prey.
7. Cyclosa Spider
This variety has silver, black, and red markings. It builds a web decorated with debris and egg sacs to camouflage itself.
8. Lynx Spider
With excellent eyesight and lightning speed, lynx spiders pounce from flowers to grab unsuspecting pollinators.
9. Crab Spider
Crab spiders hide in flowers waiting to ambush. They can change color to match their surroundings.
10. Jumping Spider
Jumping spiders actively hunt prey. Some species, like the zebra spider, cover their bodies in thick hairs to protect against stings.
11. Wolf Spider
Fast-moving hunter wolf spiders chase down prey. Their venom quickly subdues even large insects like wasps.
12. Orchard Orbweaver
This spider spins a web with woven gaps too small for bees but perfect for catching tiny flies and wasps.
13. Spiny Orbweaver
With spiny hairs covering its legs and body, this spider deters predators. It builds a large orb web with anchors attached to the ground.
14. Cross Spider
The striking yellow cross pattern on this spider’s abdomen warns predators away. It waits in its orb web for victims.
15. Net-Casting Spider
When it senses prey, this spider flings a sticky net to trap insects flying or walking below.
16. Bowl and Doily Spider
The circular web of this spider has a raised bowl area where the spider waits for vibrations from trapped insects.
17. American House Spider
Often found in houses, this messy web builder eats flies, mosquitoes, and bees that happen to blunder into its web.
18. Striped Lynx Spider
Fuzzy hairs cover the body of the striped lynx spider, protecting it as it ambushes bees at flowers.
19. Jumping Spider
Some jumping spiders like the zebra spider actively pursue wasps, which they subdue with a quick venomous bite. Thick abdominal hairs protect them from stings.
20. Crab Spider
Expert ambushers, crab spiders grab prey as soon as it’s in reach. Their camouflage helps them lie in wait undetected.
The Takeaway
While most spiders avoid aggressive stinging insects, some species have adapted to preying on wasps, bees and flies. Understanding their hunting strategies and web designs reveals ingenious methods for avoiding stings while safely capturing dangerous prey. Watching spiders hunt these feisty insects can be entertaining. And reducing wasp, bee and fly numbers around your home provides a tangible benefit. So next time you see a spider’s web on your porch, take a closer look and appreciate the pest control it may be providing!
What Do Wasp Spiders Eat?
Wasp spiders eat small invertebrates and particularly enjoy crickets and grasshoppers. They also feast on flies, bees, beetles, and moths. Taller vegetation is needed to support webs that are woven at exactly the right height for these victims.
When prey is caught in the spiral orb web the wasp spider will quickly immobilise it by wrapping it in a band of thick silk (stabilimentum) before biting it to inject a paralysing venom with an enzyme to destroy proteins.
What is a Wasp Spider?
The wasp spider is a species of orb-web spider from the genus known as Argiope bruennichi. It has striking yellow and black markings on its abdomen, hence the name. It typically inhabits Mediterranean countries but has recently been colonised in the UK.
Dawn or dusk is the time for spiral orb-web building by this black and yellow spider taking around an hour to construct. When wasp spiders are young the web is a circular zigzagging design, and as the spider ages, it makes a zig-zag shape with a decoration at the centre which acts as an insect attraction reflecting UV light.
Handling a female European Hornet! #wasp#insect#insects#bug#bugs#tarantula#tarantulas#spiders#fyp
FAQ
Do spiders eat bees and wasps?
Spiders eat flying insects, including houseflies, fruit flies, mosquitoes, moths, bees and wasps. They also eat crawling insects, including ants, beetles, cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers and earwigs. If it’s small and gets caught in a web, then it’s on the spider menu.
What kind of spider does the wasp hunt?
Depending on genus and species, pompilids capture a variety of spiders for their larvae to feed on, covering nearly all free-living spider families, including tarantulas, wolf spiders (Lycosidae), huntsman spiders (Sparassidae), jumping spiders (Salticidae) and baboon spiders (Harpactirinae), though any given pompilid …
Are wasp spiders in the United States?
This blue-black spider wasp might be Anoplius americanus, which has different regional color forms across North America. Females hunt wolf spiders on the ground, flicking their wings nervously.
Are crab spiders good or bad?
Because they eat pests like flies and mosquitoes, crab spiders are generally beneficial. They are venomous, but most crab spiders have mouthparts too small to pierce human skin. Even the giant crab spider, which is large enough to successfully bite people, typically causes only mild pain and no lasting side effects.