Overrun by these spiders

[beyond the blue]

Has anyone any idea what type of spiders these are? I have always had a few of these in the garden that seem to live on the surface of the soil, but this year there are thousands of them. I don't have a problem with them being there as long as they are not munching my plants. I have just planted some vegetables in containers and within an hour there were hundreds of them swarming all over the soil. Gardeners advise would be appreciated.

 

[Nod]

Doesn't look like Bagheera kiplingi (which is apparently the only predominantly vegetarian spider species known) so they're unlikely to nibble on your Nasturtiums! Never know your luck, they might like the taste of aphids.

 

[Cobra]

I have them too, they hang around the edge of my pond, in among the rocks, I assume they are eating the ants and other insects, that appear.
They don't appear to be eating the edging plants, but I'll shift this to the macro section as I'm curious too, I'm sure your'll get a better response in there.

 

[EightBitTony]

Spotted wolf spider.

http://www.uksafari.com/spottedwolf.htm

 

[Cobra]

Spotted wolf spider.

http://www.uksafari.com/spottedwolf.htm

Excellent thanks

 

[EightBitTony]

Excellent thanks

No worries, they're very common, our mulched border used to have them by the bucket load. They're keeping the other insects down, although they don't go after the real killers (slugs, aphids - too high up, etc.)

 

[Graham]

If you have thousands of them and half are female, look at it this way, Each female can hold upto 1000 babies on her back although I guess this applies more to the larger ones like this,
Yes they are her babies on her back, if one falls off she waits till it gets back on.
This is a large female Wolf spider in the South of France, maybe 2 inches at most from tip to tip.