It’s spider time again, and that’s not so bad at all | Domestic

Autumn is sometimes called spider season. But perhaps a ‘web season’ is a better name, says Van Helsdingen. “Spiders are there all year round, they just stand out much more now.”

There are 650 species of spiders in the Netherlands and some of them do not make webs. Van Helsdingen: “Think of jumping spiders. These are less noticeable, making it seem as if there are fewer spiders around in May and June. It is the large web spiders that are attracting attention now.”

Such as the cross spider and the window sector spiders. While the garden spider mainly builds its web in plants in the garden, the window sector spider does so in window frames. When they hatched from the eggs last spring, they were not noticeable yet. “Now they have grown up and you can find them everywhere. At your house, in the garden, in forests and along the water.” Of the two, the garden spider is most commonly seen in the Netherlands. There’s a good chance you won’t be able to avoid those species this season. And that’s a good thing, says Van Helsdingen.

“Spiders are very useful,” says the expert. “There are many insects that annoy us, such as flies and mosquitoes. There are fewer of these because of the spiders. It is very wise to regard them as a friend and to prevent pests.” This is especially useful around this time, because the nuisance caused by mosquitoes has increased considerably since mid-August.

Yet many people have a great fear of spiders. There is no need for that, says Van Helsdingen. “I think maybe the fear is a hereditary instinct that we have adopted. But being afraid makes no sense at all, because not a single spider in the Netherlands is dangerous to humans.” According to him, spiders provide balance and equilibrium in nature. “We must not disturb that whole. Let them eat!”

But how come a spider isn’t an insect? Van Helsdingen explains that an insect has three recognizable parts: a head, thorax and abdomen. “Spiders only have two parts, namely a front and an abdomen.” He also refers to the creature’s eight legs, while insects only have six.

Another characteristic is that the insect group has wings, arachnids do not have these. However, this does not mean that the spiders cannot fly: “They make thread to ‘balloon’. When there is wind, they move en masse by hitching a ride.” Not all spider species make webs, but all spiders can. “Then consider protection against prey.”

Van Helsdingen finds the spiders extremely fascinating. “I could devote my whole life to the Dutch spider fauna, that’s what I’m working on anyway.” He doesn’t have a favorite spider: “They’re all fun!”