Saturday, August 31, 2013

Argiope spider

The spider species Argiope aurantia is commonly known as the black and yellow garden spider, also called a writing spider and it has an interesting adaptation to their web. The feature is a zipper-like design in the center where she mostly hangs out. There is some dispute as the whether this is to keep birds from flying through the web- but nonetheless, it is interesting. This beauty is set up in a sunny, but sheltered area and she was very uncooperative. I had to go out multiple times to get a photograph of her in her web, she was very clever at detecting me and disappearing into the twigs her web was attached to. When she is in position at the center, she arranges her front and back legs into an x- almost like a Maltese cross sideways. That was what I was trying to capture. They are not dangerous to humans, and lovely to watch. They usually tear down and eat their web every night, and re-spin it again early the next morning. They don't get quite as big as the Golden Orb spiders, but they are pretty big. First photo is of her web, then her hiding in the foliage- then finally, an underneath shot of her in her web.

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