Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Sunday - October 03, 2010
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Pests
Title: What are the webs floating in the air? Are they harmful to plants?
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Austin, TX has experienced fall weather for the past week..low humidity, nice temps, sunny skies. But long webs are connecting from trees to our plants to the porch. Not on the trunk of the tree like tree lice. Just tons of long webs floating in the air and anchoring on everything:plant and not. What is making them? Harmful to trees and plants? It's not the time of year for web worms or caterpillars. Thanks kindly.ANSWER:
These are mostly small spiders, each of which has released her/his own string of silk that serves as sort of a balloon or sail to help them fly away on the breeze. This is their means of dispersing to a new habitat. Many, but not all, of them are spider hatchlings that are dispersing from their hatching sites to find new territory away from their numerous siblings. Larger spiders can balloon, too, but it takes more silk and more breeze to get and keep them airborne. Here is a short video from bio-physicist Bob Suter from Vassar College showing spiders launching themselves and explaining how they do this. Here are links with more information from Purdue University Extension, LiveScience and the Conservation Commission of Missouri. The webs and spiders aren't harmful to plants. In fact, if they land on your plants, decide they like their new spot and don't look for the opportunity to relaunch on their gossamer balloons, they will no doubt consume many insects that could be harmful to your plants.
More Pests Questions
Catalpa and maple with dying branches in Wisconsin
July 07, 2008 - We have a northern catalpa in our front yard. It's been there for about three years now and is probably 25' high. This year it appeared to be doing great. It flowered and then all of sudden last ...
view the full question and answer
Disappearance of leaves on desert willow in Tucson AZ
August 08, 2009 - We have a Lois Adams Desert Willow (Tucson, Az). The leaves will pump out and then a day or so later, all of the leaves are gone. The only bugs we've seen on it are very, very small ants. Could this ...
view the full question and answer
Sticky stuff dripping from non-native crape myrtle in Austin
August 01, 2012 - There is sticky sap-like stuff dropping from the very large crepe myrtle in my yard. The tree has quit blooming. This didn't happen last year when it was so dry; it started after we had all the rain ...
view the full question and answer
Grasshopper invasion in Box Elder SD
August 22, 2011 - I just bought a new home and there is an infestation of grasshoppers throughout the neighborhood. What shrubs and/or flowers could I plant that they may not like to eat?
view the full question and answer
Removing grassy weeds from cactus garden in Corpus Christi TX
May 07, 2013 - How do you get grassy weeds out of a cactus garden? I don't want to use roundup around the cacti? Can you recommend a herbicide that won't harm the cactus?
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
