Signature Spider

Description:

Argiope luzona (Walckenaer, 1841). This is, by far, my favourite spider and it also has a very strong presence in this part of the Philippines. So, I have posted more spottings of Argiope luzona, than any other creature, in my Project Noah Nature Journal. To try and control my excessive enthusiasm, I decided (some time ago) to submit new spottings of A. luzona, only when there are features of special interest e.g. moults, egg sacs, prey captures or unusual web decorations. My reasons, for this spotting, are that this is a very robust and healthy looking female, in the prime of her life. She has constructed a perfect orb web with machine-like precision and her stabilimentum is just stunning. The first photo shows the spider sitting on the hub of her web and some detail of her Four-arm Continuous Cruciate Stabilimentum. The second photo is just to give an impression of the habitat, but it also shows the beautiful long arms of the stabilimentum. When all is said and done, perhaps you can see why I felt compelled to post yet another "Spider X" as it is known here.

Habitat:

This spider was spotted in the rice mill yard. It had constructed its web on a young sapling Jackfruit Tree (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) locally called Langka. Plant information from http://www.stuartxchange.org/Langka.html......