Argiope: Writing Spiders
They are the large, colorful spiders that build their nests around homes and gardens.
The writing spider nickname comes from their web construction practices, which create webs with a series of Zs or Xs down the center.
Five different Argiope species are common in the United States.
The top picture shows one of the most common species, Argiope arentia, in action. The spinnerets (brown patch) open at the bottom of the abdomen are spraying silk around the newly captured honeybee.
The bottom picture shows a Silver Argiope, (Argiope argentata), with a prominent "writing" pattern in the middle of the web.
The spider is a juvenile, and the writing pattern in the web tones down as the spider ages. Often the "Z" or "X" pattern on adult webs is restricted to a couple of short lines in the web.
Argiope do bite, however they are not considered dangerous spiders. You can normally approach them at close range for a picture.
© 2005-2008 Patricia A. Michaels