Signature Spider with Prey

Description:

Argiope luzona (Walckenaer, 1842). Some Project Noah members probably know that I spend a lot of time observing Argiope spiders as I have posted many spottings featuring them. My reason for showing this particular spider is that it has captured a very large prey (I think, from the general shape, it is probably a beetle), but more notably, it has used an excessive amount of aciniform silk (the kind of silk used in wrapping prey and creating web decorations. It is different from the silk used for web construction). It might possibly be the case that that increased amounts of silk used in wrap attacks could be related in some way to the construction of larger stabilimenta (web decorations) and that combination could indicate some other aspect of the spider's condition or behaviour at certain life stages. I have read some scientific papers on Argiope spiders where there have been some suggestions along these lines, but I don't think any of these ideas have been fully developed yet.

Habitat:

This spider was spotted in the front yard of the rice mill. Its web was moored on the stems of a Blushing Philodendron (Philodendron erubescens). This is a climbing plant which has grown around the trunk of a Mango Tree, from the ground all the way up to the canopy.

Notes:

This is the same spider in my previous spotting https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/12...