Signature Spider with Prey

Description:

Argiope luzona (Walckenaer, 1841). I spotted this spider when I was looking around to see if I could find any "unusual" stabilimenta on Argiope webs. I did not find what I was looking for, but this spider was busy wrapping a prey insect and that was more than enough to compensate for its rather ordinary stabilimentum. The prey was already enshrouded in silk when I arrived at the scene. So, at that moment, I felt that I had missed the opportunity to identify the capture. However, I soon realised that I could make a pretty good guess at its ID. In the first picture, the orange and black colours can be seen through the shroud and since there were many Leaf Beetles (Aulacophora lewisii) flying around the area, at that time, I think it is reasonable to say that the prey is Aulacophora lewisii Baly, 1886 (Chrysomelidae; Galerucinae; Luperini). Once I had arrived at that conclusion and had the opportunity of reviewing my photos, when I got home, I could see the orange head and thorax quite well through the silk wrappings. So that was encouraging, but when I looked at the black elytra and clearly saw their shape, it became undeniable that the spider's lunch was indeed A. lewisii.

Habitat:

This Signature Spider was spotted in the rice mill backyard on the leaf of a Banana Plant (Musa sapientum) known as Saging in the Philippine national language Tagalog. In the local Zambal dialect where we live, it is called Batag.