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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Orb Weavers (Araneidae) » Garden Orbweavers (Argiope) » Banded Argiope (Argiope trifasciata)
Photo#733541
Banded Argiope? - Argiope trifasciata
Copyright © 2012 Tamra F

Banded Argiope? - Argiope trifasciata
Red Butte Gardens, Salt Lake County, Utah, USA
September 29, 2012
All seems lost for the bee at this point. Oddly, the spider seemed to back away from the bee, which disengaged from the webbing and flew away. I would love to know the how/why behind that escape! If anyone has thoughts on that I would love to hear them.

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Banded Argiope? - Argiope trifasciata Banded Argiope? - Argiope trifasciata Banded Argiope? - Argiope trifasciata Banded Argiope? - Argiope trifasciata Banded Argiope? - Argiope trifasciata Banded Argiope? - Argiope trifasciata
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Contributed by Tamra F on 27 December, 2012 - 6:25pm
Last updated 27 December, 2012 - 9:03pm

What a neat shot!
My thought is that only a starving animal goes for the kill without regard for it's safety. It's smart to be careful when you get close enough to bite.....the sting of a bee is fatal to a spider. A fat and happy spider (lion, gator, snake) will catch prey that seems like it can't do harm in return or that doesn't take tons of effort. A hungry predator might have nothing else on it's mind and goes for broke. My experience with predators says this might be true.
Another thought is that this spider species has an innate instinct to be cautious of bees. That would be an instinct that could (would?) serve it well and could be selected for in wild populations.
… Matt Edmonds, 27 December, 2012 - 9:05pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks Matt,
It is a dramatic shot isn't it? Thanks for your thoughts, you are probably right - as was observed, the spider already had something (a syrphid I believe) wrapped up and ready for snacking on. Why endanger itself? I had wondered too if a bee sting would kill a spider, thanks for adding that tidbit!
… Tamra F, 27 December, 2012 - 9:47pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Kyron Basu, 27 December, 2012 - 9:03pm login or register to post comments

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