[SoNotHer]

It's so interesting to see this thread. My queer pagan friend just posted something on her FB site about the herbs she's using to combat her cats' fleas. She wrote a lot about certain herbs she was buying, all but one of which I grow. The one I do not grow is pennyroyal, which she also wrote she liked for spiders.

Spiders symbolize language and communication, patience and the web/weaving of the world. For this alone, I would not harm them. In fact I love photographing their webs in the right light, and their webs do draw me into this symbolism every time.

As well, like bats, they are an effective and natural predator of mosquitoes, noseeums and gnats, among others. I don't use herbicides, insecticides, or any artificial or petrochemical process in my garden. So I welcome and encourage the good predators like the praying mantis, the lady bug and the spider.