|
ARGIOPE/ST ANDREW'S CROSS
SPIDERS |
The number of emails we've had
from people in the United States trying to identify the
Black and Yellow Argiope or
St Andrew's Cross spider (as we call our
Australian variety) is quite astounding!! I have had to split the
site into 3 pages. Click here for Page 2 and
Click here for Page 3. I've had a lot of questions about where the Argiopes are going to, as
some people have noticed that theirs has disappeared. Unfortunately this
lovely spider only has a short life span and once she has produced one
or more
(usually no more than 3) brown, papery egg sacs, she will die. The egg
sacs are roughly round in shape and up to 25 mm in diameter; each
contains 300 to 1400 eggs. She attaches her egg sacs to one side of her
web, close to her resting position at the centre. Each female will watch
over her eggs as long as she can, but will die in the first hard frost,
if not before. The eggs hatch in Autumn ( fall), but spiderlings stay in
the sac during winter and emerge in spring. (Milne and Milne 1980,Heiber
1992, Faulkner 1999)
Here's
our most recent photos: |
|
Here's the Australian St Andrew's Cross spider,
courtesy of Ed Nieuwenhuys
St
Andrews Cross Spider: Argiope mangal
These spiders
get their name for the way their hold their eight legs in pairs to
form an X shape. The X is called the St. Andrew's cross because it
is believed that the saint was martyred on a cross of this shape
rather than the conventional + shape. Besides their standard
orb-web, Argiope spiders build additional white opaque zig zag lines
on their webs, called stabilimentum.
Sometimes the zig-zag lines match their leg positions, which lead
some people to suggest that this helps give the appearance of longer
legs. Some spiders build a single vertical line, yet others a patch
of zig zags in the centre of the web. No matter the design, the
spider sits right smack in the middle.
The bite of
this spider is considered harmless or at most to cause a weak local
reaction. Few bites have been recorded. |
 |
| .. |
22 September, 2002:
Hello, my name is Mark Tenly and I live in Bel
Air MD. We found this spider in a garden at my uncles house and we
didn't know what it was. Thanks to your site we were able to figure
that out. Any way here's a Picture to add to the collection.
We also found a site that said that Argiopes were poisonous, but
your site says they are harmless. Either way we aren't going to
bother this cool spider, and just let it sit and eat.
Thanks Again,
Mark Tenly |
|
| .. |
18 September, 2002:
Here are 2 great pictures of our little friend out back ... These were taken with an Olympus E-10 in the F5 range. The male is
next door at our neighbors house. I have some good photos of him as
well.
Happy spider snapping...
Damon Biddle...
PS. My other half walked right by, shoulder about 2 inches away. She
turned around an saw the spider and let me know with an alarming voice. I thought she had found a
body in our back yard. WOW... |
|
 |
|
| ../font> |
18
September, 2002:
Since moving into a my house about 8 months ago...I have seen
all sorts of spiders that I never saw before. I noticed this spider
(argiope1.jpg) in my shrubs just a couple of weeks ago and was
concerned it might be poisonous but was amazed at the unique web it
had spun. After finding this web site and identifying it as a St
Andrew's Cross spider, my interest for spiders that I lost in my
childhood suddenly returned.
Barry
Durham, NC USA |
 |
| .. |
18
September, 2002:
We were impressed by our new neighbour that we discovered
this morning. I went to look for this black and yellow beauty on the
internet and your site was the first one that popped up. While we
were taking these pictures the spider would bounce it's web to try
to scare us away. The first picture is an underside shot and the
second one is of our new friend eating supper (a daddy-longlegs that
I threw into her web). We live in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Thanks,
Eva.
Enjoy! |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
14
September, 2002:
Hey Hey,
I don't know if your interested in some more pics but after seeing your web
page I figured I'd send them. This beauty is hanging around
outside a machine building shop in
Brooksville, Florida. I'm from New York and I was
visiting the shop when I spotted it. It's the biggest spider
I ever saw up close but the locals say it
ain't so big.
Frank A. Smith
Sulzer Metco Ltd.
E-Mail / Internet: Frank.Smith@Sulzer.com
Notes: Frank Smith/SM/Sulzer@Sulzer |
 |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
14
September, 2002:
Thought you might like the attached picture. Taken at 5x
optical zoom on a Sony DSC-F707 digital
camera. Location is Melbourne, Florida. Taken
today.
Eileen |
 |
| .. |
11
September, 2002:
Glen:
My wife had never seen one before yesterday. It's hard to believe
that she's 40 years old and hasn't witnessed one of the most
beautiful spiders. She grew up in the city, but I've seen them
there, so I can't understand how she missed them, especially
considering her paralyzing fear of spiders.
As a child, I would spend my summer days feeding spiders of
all kinds. My favorites were the grass spiders and the argiopes, but
I always hoped for a massive wolf. (We always called the argiopes
"garden spiders.") I looked forward to late summer, when the "garden
spiders" would start appearing on shrubs and tall grass. By the way,
where do they go the rest of the year? My
wife said this particular one made a meal of a large grasshopper
yesterday. I could never entice my childhood "pets" to tackle
anything larger than a small cricket. I always thought they were
afraid of the prey biting back! Attached
is a picture of our guest. His web is a bit worn from his recent
meal. Thanks for the awesome website.
Keith H. Freeman
Indiana, USA
P.S. For the comments I saw from other visitors about digital
cameras not being suited to close-up work, I used a Casio QV-4000. |
 |
| .. |
9
September, 2002:
This is a picture I took a few days ago.
It should give people that have never seen
one in person a feeling of the size.
Pete M
Dover, Delaware, US |
 |
| .. |
16
September, 2002
What a terrific and informational site you
have! When I found this colorful black and yellow
spider under my porch in Norfork, Arkansas I didn't know what
to call it; until I visited your site. My
encyclopedia wasn't much help, but you sure were. I think the last
thing you need is another Argiopes
photograph since you have so many good ones but I'll send it along
anyway.
Jerry Wilcoxen
Norfork, Arkansas |
 |
| .. |
6
September, 2002
A really big and awe-striking spider off my
back patio door. Kids like throwing
grasshoppers and moths into her web.
Hubert (Huby) Pan |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
3
September, 2002
Hi, I want to THANK YOU for your page. I found this spider
(see pics) in my garden with a web almost 2ft in diameter already. I
thought it was So Beautiful, and I wondered just what kind it was.
Well, by seeing the photos
and emails, I wasn't the only one. It has made it's home in my
garden, weaving it's web between my pumkin patch and my last row of
tomatoes. I wish there was a way I could get spider AND web, moved
to a different spot, just to be able to watch it further. Any
suggestions? I've even videoed it. Thanks to the internet I
found so MANY interesting facts about spiders!
Heat1968@aol.com
St. Louis Missouri |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
|
31 August, 2002:
Hi from Dixon Illinois, USA,
Here is a picture of the first Black and Yellow Spider we found. She
is busy wrapping and eating her grasshopper! Her web is in a bed of
Daylilies and Blanket Flower. She is quite ambitious, today she had
2 grasshoppers going. I thought this spider was so beautiful, I felt
compelled to search her out on the web, and found your site! It's
great. To follow will be a picture of her "neighbor" across the
sidewalk!
Thanks for such an informative site!
Barbara Cheffer
Dixon, Il. 61021 |
 |
| .. |
|
29 August, 2002:
I'm attaching a picture I took this afternoon of a new
arrival in our yard here in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. After
finding your site, I now know it's a St. Andrew's Cross Spider, and
a beautiful specimen of one, I think! I learned many interesting
things about this new-to-us spider from your site, and I'd be
pleased if you wanted to add our new backyard friend to your photo
archives. My sons are both fascinated by it, and I'm glad I found so
much info to tell them about it. Thank you!
Dawn A
Cary, IL
dawn@3gcs.com |
 |
| .. |
26 August, 2002:
Hi
Here are some photo's that are of a St. Andrews Cross Spider I think
this one is in a flower in my front yard you may use these photo for
your site, I have the high resolution photo if you want them......
ENJOY
Vincent J. Spingola Jr. |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
24 August, 2002:
Glenda,
Here are two digital pixes of an Argiopes that has taken up
residence outside our living room window here in Matthews, NC USA
(Charlotte, NC area). Interesting critter. Very fast at getting a
meal. Hasn't paid the rent yet! Camera: Nikon CoolPix995 in auto
mode (I call it dummy mode) (point-n-shoot) set in macro (close up)
mode. You have a very interesting site. Thanks for sharing.
David Novak |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
20 August, 2002:
hi there-
I found this spider in a tree outside my house in Plano, Texas (just
north of Dallas). it is approximately 3
inches top to bottom and 2 1/4 inches across.
can you identify it? I've looked in a few books, and around
the web, but have been unable to find
anything like it. thank you in advance for
your help.
carl. |
 |
| .. |
20 August, 2002:
Thought I would send these in case you were interested. She
is located on the back porch of my mother-in-laws house which is
located about seven miles southwest of Duncan, Oklahoma. Thanks for
your web page! I really enjoyed it.
Lester Yates
llyates@simplynet.net |
 |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
19 August, 2002:
Here are a couple of photos of a spider found
in a web covering a large window of our
home in the woods (near the Grand River in Michigan).Any infomation
you would have might be interesting to know.
J. Conway |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
19 August, 2002:
Thank you so much for the added information. My son questioned if
the small one might have been a male....but there was almost no
colour on it. Almost all light pink with the legs looking like they
might develop into black. I thought the males were always more
colourful than the females in nature. I suppose the males never have
a chance to grow very large if they are dumb enough to mate and get
eaten! Well, you can see I have little knowledge of spiders and,
like many people, until now had little interest in learning.
She is still there. This morning the web is all clean. Sometimes she
allows it to get quite messy. Yesterday for quite a few hours it had
pine straws and bits of litter all around it. Today there are two
added bits of design in the web...a "dot" on the left side and a
larger "dash" on the right side. There doesn't appear to be anything
in them. There is also a very small insect caught in the web down
quite close to where it is attached to the dog house at the bottom
and she is totally ignoring it.
Jayne |
|
 |
 |
16 August, 2002:
I sent this message out a couple of days ago to a few of my
friends and family who I thought might not
be freaked out by it! My son answered with a
link to your fabulous website and now we know that she is a
St. Andrews Cross spider. We live in the
extreme northwest corner of Louisiana in the little
town of Benton. (near Bossier City and Shreveport). The closest
large city is Dallas, Texas, about 200
miles away. My photos are not nearly as
good as some on your site, but the interesting
thing to me is the baby following mommie's lead. Would you
consider this "normal" behavior for this
species? Alas, when I checked this morning the
little one is gone. We have a lot of birds in our area so
perhaps her fate was to be a breakfast
nibble. Thank you for a very informative
and interesting website!
Best regards,
Jayne Smith
Benton, Louisiana USA |
|
1. THIS appeared outside my computer
room window yesterday: Note I did say outside! |
2. Very
Retro....black and 50's Funky Pink, much pinker than shows in
the photos. |
|
 |
 |
|
4. At first I
thought a flying insect had been trapped in the web....but not
so....it's a Mini Funky. Mommie Funky
is on the inside closest to the window, Mini Funky is on the
outside of the web. Then, Mommie Funky
started running about "cleaning house" and repairing and adding
to the web. When she started this activity, Mini Funky moved off
to one side of the web. |
5. I thought, maybe not
wanting to get swept up in the cleaning. Smart Mini!
|
|
 |
| Mommie worked and
worked...... |
|
 |
|
|
6. Note the center of the
web in the upper left. |
7. Still
working...see the center to the right. |
|
 |
 |
|
8. Along with her
pink and black she has a neon yellow across her body and white
on the back of her head...she is a rather gaudy dresser! |
9. The Prima
Ballerina of the Spider World! |
|
 |
 |
|
10. Now, don't
miss the Grand Finale! |
11. As Mommie
Funky is making large "stitches" in the center of the web (lower
right) and creating a very large
opaque area in the center, Mini Funky is doing the same thing
off to the side (lower left).
Mini never quite got the opaque area in the center that
Mommie has, but now they both position themselves in the center
of their "stitches" and that's where they have been for hours.
They are still on opposite sides of the web.
I have never seen a creature like this. She is
large...the body is about 1 inch long and with the legs she must
be about 3 inches.
|
|
 |
|
I thought spiders laid hundreds of eggs and left them to make it
or not...I have never known that they shelter and teach....and why
only one? |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
11 August, 2002:
My Pet Cross spider and her egg sack. I’ve been keeping her
on my back patio near my pool for several months now. She has gotten
very used to me bugging her and taking pictures of her. I even have
a very nice video of her wrapping up a grasshopper (for dinner). I
live in Kennedale, Texas. The picture below on
the left, is an excellent picture of nothing but the egg
sack.
Mike Murray
mike@datalinknet.net |
 |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
6 July, 2002:
I am attaching a zip file of pics of a few spiders that have taken
up residence outside my home. The first is about the size of my hand
outstretched, and is very menacing looking. I have looked into your
site, and think they are the St. Andrews Cross spider. I hope so, we
have several all around our house, my husband thinks they are great
because they keep the bug population down..... please let me know
what you think...
Mary,
Jacksonville, Fl. |
|
 |
 |
|
Here's some more great photos from Mary. Click for a larger view. |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
27/06/02:
Hi, I found this spider in my backyard today and I was wondering if
it was a St. Andrews Cross. Is it poisonous?? It's the first
time I have ever seen a web like this. Although, from looking at
your website,
I see that it's common. :-)
I really think your website is great! Thanks a lot.
Nicole
royandnici@attbi.com |
 |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
|
29 April, 2002: Here's a
picture of what looks like some kind of argiope from Montreal, QC,
Canada
Can you identify it for me?
|
 |
| .. |
|
3 March, 2002
Hi Glenda,
While visiting Maui last November (2001), I came across this
handsome creature in the upcountry region near the Tedeschi
Vineyards. After searching the web for identification, I finally
sought help from the
Bishop Museum (in Hawaii) and the University of Michigan. With their
help, the spider has been identified as follows:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Suborder: Labidognatha
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Argiope
Species: appensa (Walck.)
If you wish, feel free to add the picture to your web site.
Regards,
Chris |
Click for a larger view. |
| .. |
31 December, 2001:
Hi Ms Crew,
I have attached two photos taken in Albany Creek, Brisbane over
Christmas 2001. The photo
on the left is the more typical shot of a St Andrews
Cross spider. The shot on the right
is another spider in a nearby web (within
30cm). It has the same pose as the larger spider but does not
have the typical abdomen markings of a St Andrews Cross.
I assume that the smaller spider is either a juvenile or of the
opposite sex. Are the usual St Andrews
cross photos of the female? Are the
Male/Female St Andrews Cross Spider dramatically different like the
Redback? I was hoping if you do not know
the answer yourself that perhaps someone in
your readership may be able to help.
Kind regards,
Ken Chandler
kenchandler.com |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
|
16 October, 2001:
I spotted this guy near my front
porch. This is the first one like this that I've seen around here.
He seems to like having his picture taken. In my search to find out
what type it is, I came across your web site first and thought you
might like to see a picture.
Noel Harris
Nashville, Tennessee, USA |
 |
| .. |
|
8
October, 2001: Hi from Carson City (state capitol),
Nevada! We found your website while searching for a way to identify
this spider. We've never seen one like it here before. Perhaps you'd
like to add it to your collection of pics.
Laura & Lynzie Ruecker
Image Perspectives
www.moulage.net
Click photo for a larger view.
|
 |
| .. |
Here's some really great
close-ups from Jonathon in Canada. Click each photo for a larger
one.
7 October, 2001:I took these pictures this summer
and was not able to identify it until recently. A co-worker was
doing some spider research for his Australia vacation when he showed
me some of the "BAD" ones from Australia... I immediately recognized
the St. Andrew's spider and I wanted to contribute these pictures to
your web site.
I found this spider in a park near my house. I went back a month
later and found that she really grew allot. The interesting thing
about this one is that one the front right legs is missing. Strange?
I live in Montreal, Canada.
Jonathan Senkerik |
 |
|
 |
 |
| .. |
|
23
September, 2001
Here's another photo sent in by Mike which is an excellent one
too. Thanks Mike
Greetings, Glenda.
Spotted a large, striking spider in my yard today, and decided
to capture it on (digital) film.After a bit of hunting on the
web, I came across your page, which helped me to identify it as
a St. Andrews Cross. This one had a body about an inch long, and
toe-to-toe, she's about 3 1/2 inches. I did get some shots with
a tape measure for scale, but they're not nearly as pretty as
the one I've attached. Amazing creature. Anyway, thought you'd
like the pic, and I'd love for you to use it on your site.
Mike Nerone
San Antonio, TX |
 |
| .. |
|
21
September, 2001 Here's another
great photo by Rob. His photos would have to be the best we've had
yet, thanks a lot Rob.
Thanks for posting my photos on your website. Here is another
photo of the same St. Andrew's Cross spider (taken 9/18/2001)
wrapping up a tasty meal. I checked
the web a couple hours later and dinner was no where to be seen. She
must have been hungry.
Photo ©Rob McElroy 2001
Regards,
Rob
Buffalo, NY
|
 |
15 September, 2001:
Here are some of the best St Andrew's Cross spider photos I've seen.
Thanks a lot, Rob.
Hi,
Thanks for the informative website. It was your web pages that
helped me identify what I believe to be a St. Andrew's Cross spider
that I discovered amongst the weeds next to my warehouse in Buffalo
today 9/15/2001. The body is 7/8" long. Here are some photos of it
from various angles. The top of its head and the adjoining area
directly behind it are very white and seem almost reflective when it
is in sunlight. You may post the photos on your website but please
include my copyright notice as follows: Photos © Rob McElroy 2001
Regards,
Rob McElroy
Buffalo, NY |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
| .. |
|
Here's some sightings that we had sent in without photos: |
18 October, 2001:
Dear Glenda, Thank you for the informative and attractive web
(literally) page. I live in east Texas and work for a mission agency
called Mercy Ships (www.mercyships.org). Outside of our
administration building is a great specimen of the garden spider you
have featured. My pictures are not as good as the ones posted thus
not included. We have named her "Zippy" for the "z" shaped web
inclusions. She has been outside our window for at least two months
now. During that time we have watched her abdomen
swell and the next day she will be very thin. We looked up in the
corner and found she had produced a large teardrop shaped egg sac.
She has done this twice now. She is very active when we tap on the
window glass and "jumps" up and down in her web like on a
trampoline. We presume she is doing that to trap whatever prey set
up the vibrations. Have you received any reports of similar
behavior?
I really appreciate the Red Back info. I have been singing a song I
heard 25 years ago about the "Red Back on the Toilet Seat" and now I
know what I have been singing about. Since you are from Australia,
Would you happen to have the lyrics for the last
verse of this song. I lost them and have been singing an abbreviated
version for too long now. Even that has been a big hit around
the campfire however.
Keep up the good work it is appreciated and noticed.
Sincerely,
Richard Busby
13 September, 2001
Well, Now you can also say that this St. Andrews Cross Spider also
resides in Smyrna, Delaware on the East Coast. It showed up about a
week ago as far as we can tell. Its body is about 1 1/4 inches long
and with its legs its about 3 inches in all. It is bright yellow and
black. It has made a web in my tomato garden and made one zigzag
patch from the center of the web to the bottom. It hangs there
upside down all the time. It is very fast. It runs to the side of
the web spins around and runs back to the center of the web in just
a blink of an eye. I have not found any egg sacs yet. I will look
tomorrow and let you know. I was very scared for my son to be around
it until I saw your web site. It is very informative and my son and
I enjoyed looking at the photos as well as reading the information
presented there. The best that I was able to do at other
arachnid web sites was to figure out it looked like it was half
Garden Spider and half Sac Spider. Their photos were only black and
white that I could find. Kudos to you for helping me with the
identification of this arachnid.
Have a nice day,
Sandy, Lenny, & Steele.
slcorrell@msn.com
13 September, 2001
HI JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE A ST. ANDREWS
CROSS SPIDER OUTSIDE OF OUR WORKPLACE IN PICKERING ONTARIO CANADA.
I KNOW IT IS ONE AS I WENT TO YOUR WEB SITE AND LOOKED CLOSELY
AT THE PICTURES AND IT IS IDENTICAL.
I CANT SEND YOU ONE OF OUR PICTURES AS I DON'T HAVE A SCANNER
TO DO IT.
BUT THANKS
MAUREEN |
7 October,
2001:
Hi - great site! We've had a St. Andrews Cross spider in the garden
for almost two months now -but I wasn't sure of her type until I
found your site today. Her colors have been changing (becoming more
vivid) and she's grown SO quickly. About two weeks ago she looks to
have had a male visitor - who's eaten body was discarded on the side
of her web - shortly thereafter she moved across the garden path and
has built a new web on the fence - but I can't seem to find an egg
sack. I check on her everyday - she's beautiful! How long will she
live? Thanks for the information!
Craig and Victoria Danby
Vallejo, California7 October,
2001:
Thank you for the great information about the St
Andrew's Cross spider. We have had one in our back yard for a couple
of months now (near San Diego, CA). There are 4 brown egg sacs now (
I am assuming that is what they are). Will keep watching and
waiting.
Thanks again.
September, 2001
I am not sure if you got the location on that spider, but
that's the same one that we have here, I live se of Austin TX
in the country, I have about 12 of them living in my yard... I came
to your sight to find out what it was...
Thanks--Dale 2
September, 2001
Recently within the last week we have found this spider that was
very unfamiliar. In searching the internet it looks as if we
found the description . The pictures are very similar but, the
spider we have found is very bright yellow but with the same
characteristics and same web design as the St. Andrew's Cross
Spider. We live in Ventura County, California and we would
like to know if its indigenous to our area, we've lived here in
Camarillo for 16 years and have never seen a spider like this
before.
Thank you,
Mark and Sheri Reeske
3 September,
2001
Hello,
Great site. I found a St. Andrews today. I'm in Lake Villa,
Illinois.
Peace, Sandy
4 September, 2001
Hello -
my son and i have found two St Andrew's cross spider. we live in
Aurora, Illinois. One was found in a garden and the other was found
in a web 1.5 feet in diameter. We decided to keep them. one laid
eggs on 09/02/2001 and the other laid eggs on 09/01/2001.
Pretty cool. 13 September, 2001
Dear Glenda,
Thank you for a most educational and entertaining website. I commend
you and your students. I came to the site for more detailed info on
the St. Andrews Cross spider. I've lived in the Southeastern part of
the United States almost my whole life (I'm 48). What you call the
St. Andrews Cross, we grew up calling a "garden spider", or more
often, a "writing spider" (because of the zigzag designs of their
webs). I've seen them all my life. I'm surprised other readers
commented that they
had not. Well, thank you again for your fantastic website. I will be
back. PS I, too, have always been so afraid of spiders. I still want
to keep my distance, but have grown to respect and admire God's
little 8-legged creature over the years. |
| .. |
I have enjoyed your website!! I
have run across an interesting spider in my backyard and I thought I
would send it to you to see what you thought it might be. It made a
beautiful round web with a thick vertical zigzag design in the
middle of it. He was munching on a tasty grasshopper when I came
across him. We live in East Tennessee and I have never seen this
kind of spider before. It's about 7.5cm in diameter (aprox. 3in). Is
it venomous? It's very pretty and I don't like to kill spiders but
we have run across quite a few black widows in the wood stacks in my
back yard and I don't want my children to be harmed. Thank you very
much for you help and your educational web site!!
Banjojim
Dallas, |
 |
| .. |
5
September: Can this spider hurt my children/
David
Florida
Black-And-Yellow Argiope, Argiope aurantia
Females range from 19 to 28 mm across (3/4 to 1 1/8 inches), while
males reach only 5 to 9 mm 1/4 - 3/8 inches. In both sexes, the
shiny, egg-shaped abdomen has striking yellow or orange markings on
a black background. The forward part of the body, the cephalothorax,
is covered with short, silvery hairs. Legs are mostly black, with
red or yellow portions near the body. Like other orb-weavers, this
spider has three claws per foot, one more than most spiders.
Although people are concerned about being
bitten by these large spiders, they are not considered dangerous.
They may bite when harassed, but apparently the venom does not cause
problems for humans. (Lyon 1995)
|
 |
| .. |
|
2
September, 2001 I'm hoping you can help identify the spider
that I found on our deck in O'Fallon, Missouri on September 1, 2001.
It had built a web at least a foot in diameter between the deck
railing and the barbecue grill. As you can see from the pictures the
middle of the web seems to be "reinforced."
Please respond by email if you can help.
Thanks in advance!
Rich Piehl
rpiehl5@home.com
|
 |
| .. |
|
30 August, 2001
Hi thanks to your web site I think I have identified this spider.
Find attached a picture I snapped of it. We never saw one like this
before and were surprised by its size and color. It looks to be a
St. Andrew's Cross spider. This one was found in New Baltimore,
Michigan.
It's body is about an 1/2 inch long and is about 2 to 2 1/2 inches
long total. If anyone has any information to share about this spider
it would be greatly appreciated.
John Collica
New Baltimore, Michigan
johnny.c11@home.com |
Click for a larger picture. |
| .. |
|
Here's some more photos for
identification from Newnan, Ga U.S.A about 35 Miles South West of
Atlanta, taken with a Fuji 2900 Digital camera by "Ace Tomatoes". Thanks
Ace!! |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
| .. |
|
Here's a
spider from Jon in Florida. It looks very much like a St Andrew's
Cross. I
believe it is some kind of Golden Orb garden spider, but in over 25
years in Florida, I have never before seen one like this.
Regards,
Jon S. Haas, CLP
|
 |
| .. |
|
Here's a great close-up of a St
Andrew's Cross spider. Not sure where this one came from though, could
the sender please email? |
|
 |
| .. |
