Oval St. Andrew's Cross Spider

Description:

Argiope aemula (Walckenaer, 1841). This healthy and robust looking female spider has created a web decoration which is classified as a "Three-armed Discontinuous Cruciate Satbilimentum". The two lower arms look good, to me, but the single upper arm looks rather poorly made, in comparison. However, I have to keep reminding myself that the spider has made the stabilimentum and, no matter what I think, the spider is in great shape. So, it must surely be reasonable to suggest that the stabilimenta, she has been making, have done their job perfectly.

Habitat:

Spotted in a rice field.

Notes:

The Argiope aemula presence, in our area seems to be quite strong this year. Whenever I visit a rice field, I am sure to see several of them. Every time I encounter one, it just makes my whole day better.