community
september27
Diggin’ In The Dirt: The Spider Talk
Spiders follow a predictable path. Little
spiders become bigger spiders. Most of the spiders we
see now hatched last spring and live until fall or early
winter. The bigger they get, the more likely they will be
noticed. That is how a lot of very innocent spiders end
up in jars at the Extension office.
Spiders that spend most of their lives outdoors
are by and large beneficial. We have several orb
weavers. They are responsible for the large circular
webs found amongst our flowers and shrubs. One is a
striking black and yellow and another is a more mottled
mix of red, brown, and orange tones. These spiders
capture insects that fly or wander into their webs.
When the prey hits the web, the spider rocks the web
subtly, entangling the hapless insect. The spider dashes
out to inject a dab of a paralyzing agent and the insect
is quickly eaten (more accurately slurped, but that is
another story) or wrapped for a later meal. Often, the
orb weavers will spin their webs near outside lights,
having learned that the lights draw insects. These fairly
large spiders are greatly beneficial and should be left
alone. The wonderful children’s book, Charlotte’s Web
by E. B. White, drew its inspiration from White’s close
observation of orb weavers. If you have only seen the
movie (which I have not and will not), please read the
book. The story telling is magnificent.
Another common spider is a crab spider that
likes to lurk at the center of open flowers. It has some
capacity to adjust its color to blend with the floral color.
This spider does feed on bees but also earwigs and a
number of other insects. Their most common color is
white with some pink highlight lines. Again, it is a
generally beneficial spider despite its occasional bee
meal.
Finally, we have three spiders that like houses,
a lot. This is the Tegenaria family: T. domestica (the
common house spider, T. gigantea (the gigantic house
spider), and T. agrestis (the aggressive house spider,
also known as the hobo spider). All three share some
common patterning and coloration. By far the most
abundant are the common house spider and the gigantic
house spider. The gigantic spider can often be larger
than three inches across if its legs were spread out. It is
a startling spider and is brought into our office a lot this
time of year. Most are concerned it is a hobo spider,
having heard that it causes hard to heal wounds (it can)
and looked up the hobo spider on line. The Tegenarias
are superficially hard to tell apart but if you bring one
in and I happen to be there at that time, I can teach
anyone with halfway good eyesight how to tell if it is
a hobo spider or not. Bottom line is that only the hobo
spider in the Tegenaria group is a potential problem
and they are not very common in comparison to their
relatives.
I also want to say, again for the record, we
do not have brown recluse spiders in Oregon, despite
what you may have heard. There are two population
centers for the two major recluse types: one species is
found in the Los Angeles to San Diego and along the
border region eastward for several hundred miles. The
Free Newsletter
center of the other major brown recluse population is
The Oregon State
Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and western Louisiana.
University
Extension
Finally, we have a few black widows but they
office in Columbia County
are shy and seldom seen. They are most commonly
publishes
a
monthly
encountered when cleaning out an old shed or garage
newsletter on gardening
that hasn’t been touched in years. There is a large deep
and farming topics (called
chocolate brown spider that looks a bit like a black
County Living) written/
widow but isn’t.
edited by yours truly. All you
Many spiders enter houses through the channels
need to do is ask for it and it
in sliding glass doors or windows. If spiders are your
bane, consider exterior treatment at these points of will be mailed to you. Call 503 397-3462 to be put on
entry. If you have more questions about spiders, please the list. Alternatively, you can find it on the web at
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/columbia/ and click
call me at the Extension office.
on newsletters.
The OSU Food Preservation Hotline will be
available Mondays through Thursdays from 9am until Contact information for the Extension office:
4pm at 1-800- 354-7319. Additionally, you can call our Oregon State University Extension Service –
local office at 503 397-3462 with food preservation Columbia County
505 N. Columbia River Highway (across from the
questions and to get your pressure canner tested.
Legacy clinic)
The Extension Service offers its programs and St. Helens, OR 97051
503 397-3462
materials equally to all people.
Email: chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu
Wauna FCU Campaign to Raise Funds
for Vernonia’s New School
Wauna Federal Credit Union
will be kicking off a campaign during
the month of October to help raise
money for construction of the new
Vernonia School campus.
According to Pam Weller,
Manager at both the Vernonia and
Clatskanie branches, Wauna FCU
plans to encourage all of their 15,000
members throughout the region to
contribute to the campaign through
a raffle drawing. “For each dollar a
member contributes, they will receive
one chance to win a $500 prize,” said
Weller.
The Wauna FCU campaign
is being run in conjunction with
International Credit Union Day on
October 20th. The 2011 International
Credit Union Day theme highlights
the important economic and social
contributions credit unions make to
their communities worldwide. Credit
unions continually demonstrate and countries around the
their ability to improve the lives of world, and have done so for
individuals, families, communities generations.
WELLER & SON’S
STEVE
HM: 503-429-3400
CELL: 503-313-9006
SELF LOADER
LONG LOGGER
CUSTOM LOGGING
DENNIS
HM: 503-429-2810
CELL: 503-313-9044
1264 G ST.
VERNONIA, OR 97064
O.P.L. CERTIFIED
O.P.L.H. CERTIFIED
ROAD BUILDNIG
LAND CLEARING
EXCAVATION
We saddle shoe. Do you?
879 Bridge St. (503) 429-2787
Muffy’s
Photography - Bronze
Jewelry - Glasswork
950 Bridge Street
Vernonia, O8 97064
503.429.5050 or 866.524.5050
www.muffys.com
Pottery - Custom Framing
www.greydawngallery.com
World Headquarters Vernonia, Oregon
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
✥ Outdoor patio seating
✥ Rotating beer on tap
✥ Open daily at 6 AM
✥ Happy Hour
✥ Free Wi-Fi
Owned and Operated by
Don & Kim Wallace
ath Health Se
rv
al P
r
i
tu
s
✥ All new state-of-the-art espresso machine
Featuring the finest in northwest art
ce
The Black Bear & Bear Creek Pub
✥
Grey Dawn Gallery
Na
By Chip Bubl
Oregon State University Extension Service
Columbia County
9
2011
Stop by
this Fall
Dr. Carol McIntyre
Naturopathic & Chinese Medicine
503.481.4096
cccmnd@yahoo.com
naturalpathhealthservices.com
831 Bridge St . (503)-429-0214
786 Bridge Street
Vernonia, OR, 97064
