Velvet spiders
The Eresidae family, commonly known as velvet spiders, belongs to the order Araneae. While they are generally recognized as predators, in specific agricultural settings, they can cause localized management challenges due to their nesting habits and physical presence in the rhizosphere of various crops.
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Velvet spiders
The biological cycle of Eresidae is notable for its longevity and sedentary behavior. Females often occupy deep, silk-lined burrows in the soil, which serve as a protected environment for their offspring. This sedentary nature allows them to influence the soil microenvironment and local insect population dynamics over extended periods.
The primary damage associated with these spiders occurs when they build dense webs around the stems or roots of low-growing plants. These structures can obstruct light, trap moisture, and provide a substrate for pathogenic fungi, which may lead to the development of rots or inhibit the healthy growth of young plants.
Plants affected by Eresidae often include young vegetable crops and small fruits. The physical construction of burrows near the base of the plant can disturb the root zone and interfere with the soil's stability around the seedling, causing potential physiological stress during the early developmental stages.
Management strategies focus on cultural practices such as regular soil cultivation, which disrupts the integrity of their burrows and forces the spiders to relocate. Maintaining clean fields by removing dense weed cover also limits the availability of nesting sites. Chemical intervention is rarely necessary and discouraged, as these spiders are not typically major economic pests.