This female yellow garden spider, also known as a letter writer or script spider, is best known for her impressive web, which can span up to two feet across. The colorful females range in size between three quarter inches and a little over one inch. Males are about half the size of a female and do not have the same bright coloring as the females. This spider prefers open, sunny areas to build her web. Although she is most active during the day, at night she eats a portion of her inner web and rebuilds it. Once her web is built she typically positions her body downward in the center of the web and waits for insects to become entangled. If she feels threatened she may move to the ground and wait for the threat to pass. While these spiders may bite if they are agitated their venom is harmless to people. The distinctive zig zag pattern that is woven into the web is called a stabilimentum. The purpose of this thick layer of silk is disputed, but some think that it is either used to camouflage the female as she sits in the center of the web or it may be a warning sign to larger animals, such as birds, so that they don’t accidentally damage her web. Perhaps, the zig zag portion of the web even attracts insects somehow. This is a fun spider to observe so keep your eyes open because she will only be around until the first frost hits. [cj]
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 21:02:26 +0000
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