From beneath logs to the petals of native flowers, some of the Pacific Northwest’s most fascinating garden residents are often the ones most easily overlooked.
Take the goldenrod crab spider, for example, an ambush predator commonly spotted on blooms throughout the Pacific Northwest. The spider, known scientifically as Misumena vatia, waits motionless on flowers before snatching unsuspecting pollinators. Snatching pollinators doesn’t sound too beneficial, but the crab spider species also targets plant-destroying insects that damage buds and flowers.
The goldenrod crab spider is also a pollinator itself, believe it or not. According to numerous university research articles, the spider drinks nectar to stay hydrated, and as it waits on blooms, it can collect pollen and inadvertently transfer pollen between flowers, which is exactly what common pollinators do.
Another unusual backyard visitor is the snakefly, an odd-looking insect with a long neck-like thorax that gives it a reptilian appearance when it moves its head. Snakeflies are found west of the Rocky Mountains, including numerous subspecies found throughout the Pacific Northwest. Adults and larvae are predators that feed on insects hiding beneath bark and leaf litter, according to the Washington State University Comprehensive Tree Fruit Site.
On the ground, and usually amongst rotting wood, various non-native and native species of stag beetles can be found. The stag beetle is a great sign of a healthy backyard ecosystem, especially with decaying wood, old stumps or brush piles. Their larvae feed on rotting wood underground, helping to recycle nutrients back into the soil. Conservation groups note that stag beetles thrive in woodland edges, parks and gardens where dead wood is left undisturbed, according to the Woodland Trust in the United Kingdom.
Flies, too, deserve more credit in the garden than they often receive. Many Pacific Northwest flies act as pollinators or predators of pest insects, as well as prey of predators like the crab spider and other arachnids.
Then there are the millipedes, slow-moving recyclers often discovered beneath flowerpots, logs, or damp mulch. While they may not receive as much credit as many garden critters do, millipedes play a major role in breaking down decaying plant matter and enriching garden soil. Their presence is usually a sign of a moisture-rich, biologically active habitat.
For gardeners, nature will typically take care of itself without the need for pesticides, as many insects, arachnids, and other critters all play roles in healthy micro-ecosystems right in the backyard landscape.
