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Project Noah Nature School
Argiope argentata
White, orange and brown spider about 10mm long with very long legs that are doubled up. The cephalothorax is silver. The abdomen is spiny. The ventral side is seen in the fifth image. "Posterior half of the top side of the abdomen is dark-colored with "windows" of white. The division between the light-colored front half and the dark-colored back half is usually straight and unbroken. These orbweavers place a conspicuous zigzagging white silk banner in their webs called the "stabilimentum" which can be used to identify the species. In this species four stabilimenta form a cross in the web of mature spiders. Juveniles of many species, including this one, spin a spiralling stabilimentum from the center of the web. The function of the stabilimentum is not fully understood. Hypotheses are; that it stabilizes the web, or makes it more apparent to birds which will thus not fly into and wreck it, or it reflects light to attract insect prey, or perhaps most likely helps to camouflage the spider in the web." - BugGuide
Between Mexican Bush Sage and a Plum tree in the backyard.
Spotted on Jul 17, 2012
Submitted on Jul 18, 2012
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