Yellow Garden Spider

Description:

A conspicuous, beautiful spider, with bright yellow on its cephalothorax and interesting patterning. BIG! Body probably an inch long, length including legs around two inches. Based on size, this is a female (males are significantly smaller). She's eating her dinner, a small black insect beyond recognition at this point. A couple more meals are already waiting in her large, well-maintained web; way to go, spider! The web shows the characteristic vertical zig-zag pattern down the middle, which has earned this species its other common name, "Writing Spider."

Habitat:

Large circular web (I'm guessing 2.5-3 feet in diameter), in a sunny area between shrubs and AC box in flowerbed beside house.

Notes:

I love finding these beauties in my yard!