Wild Florida Photo
Nature Photography by Paul Rebmann
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Argiope aurantia
BLACK AND YELLOW ARGIOPE
BLACK AND YELLOW GARDEN SPIDER
WRITING SPIDER
Florida native
A common spider ranging from Canada through most of the United States into Mexico and Central America as far south as Costa Rica. Females are from 19-28 mm (3/4 to 1-1/8 in), while males are typically only 5-9 mm (1/4 to 3/8 in.) long. The legs are banded, the forward part of the body, the cephalothorax, is covered with short silvery hairs and the abdomen has black and yellow or orange markings. The immature spiders are mostly black and white.
The zig-zag web pattern is called a stabilimentum and is a distinctive trait of the Argiope genus. Immature spiders often create disk shaped stabilimentum. While the name might indicate that it stabilizes the web, this is not currently considered the purpose. A number of possible functions include: camouflage for the spider, attracting prey, attracting a mate, molting platform, sun protection, and silk production practice.
Argiope aurantia is a member of the Araneidae - Orb-weavers family.
Other species of the Argiope genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
View Argiope florida - FLORIDA ARGIOPE
Date record last modified:
Oct 20, 2017