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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Orb Weavers (Araneidae) » Garden Orbweavers (Argiope) » Black and Yellow Argiope (Argiope aurantia)

Species Argiope aurantia - Black and Yellow Argiope

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

black and yellow spider - Argiope aurantia

Black and Yellow Argiope - Argiope aurantia - female

Black and Yellow Argiope, with prey - Argiope aurantia - female

Black & Yellow Argiope - Argiope aurantia - Argiope aurantia - female

Black and Yellow Argiope - Argiope aurantia

Male Black & Yellow Argiope Portrait - Argiope aurantia - male

Pair of Black & Yellow Argiopes - Argiope aurantia - male - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)

Class Arachnida (Arachnids)

Order Araneae (Spiders)

Infraorder Araneomorphae (True Spiders)

No Taxon (Entelegynae)

Family Araneidae (Orb Weavers)

Genus Argiope (Garden Orbweavers)

Species aurantia (Black and Yellow Argiope)

Other Common Names

Black and Yellow Argiope - from Spiders & Their Kin, Herbert & Lorna Levi, 1968, and Levi, H. W. (1968a) The spider genera Gea and Argiope in America (Araneae: Araneidae) Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 136: 319-352.

Black-and-yellow Garden Orbweaver

Black and Yellow Garden Spider

Golden Orb-weaver (California) - see forum discussion

Yellow Garden Spider

Yellow Garden Orbweaver

Writing Spider

Zipper Spider

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

See the World Spider Catalog.

Explanation of Names

Argiope aurantia Lucas, 1833

Size

female: 14-25 mm

male: 5-6 mm (sizes do not include legs)

Identification

Stabilimentum (reinforced area) in web makes a vertical zigzag band above and below the middle of the web. Juveniles make a circular stabilimentum in the center of the web.

Female epigyne/scape

The normal colors are black and yellow

but there can be significant variation

Range

Much of temperate North America: southern Canada, through most of the lower 48 states. Also found south through Mexico to Costa Rica. Uncommon in parts of Rocky Mountains, Great Basin.

Habitat

Gardens, old fields

Season

Noted most in late summer and early fall, when large females are found in webs.

Food

Carnivorous

Life Cycle

Life starts with the egg case:

...which produce masses of spiderlings:

though sometimes they are parasitized:

An immature will camouflage itself in the stabilimentum, an area of heavy silk:

The spiders, both immature

and mature

hang head down in their webs

which have that familiar zigzag pattern

To grow they must shed their exoskeleton: Richard's fabulous

...and, of course, eat:

VJ talks about how they vibrate their webs, testing for captured prey?

Sometimes they lose legs, but can regenerate them:

And then it's time for the cycle to close, with the female preparing her egg case:

Remarks

Despite bright colors this spider is not a danger to humans. It is very unlikely to bite unless severely provoked, and in that case the bite would be probably no worse than a bee sting.

Images of female - ventral:

- frontal:

- lateral:

Images of male:

- ventral:

Closeup of palps - male reproductive organs:

Images with male and female for comparison:

Print References

Jackman, pp. 75-76, plate 9 (1)

Levi, p. 68 (2)

Marshall and Edwards, p. 40 (3)

Internet References

Animal Diversity Web an extensive article from the University of Michigan

Works Cited

1.	A Field Guide to Spiders and Scorpions of Texas John A. Jackman. 2002. Gulf Publishing.

2.	Spiders and Their Kin: A Golden Guide from St. Martin's Press Herbert W. Levi, Lorna R. Levi, Nicholas Strekalovsky. 2001. St. Martin's Press.

3.	Florida's Fabulous Spiders Sam Marshall, G. B. Edwards. 2002. World Publications.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 1:20pm
Additional contributions by jvandyk, cotinis, Hannah Nendick-Mason, john and jane balaban, Robin McLeod, Lynette Elliott, Jay Barnes, Jeff Hollenbeck, cheins, Chuck Entz, kschnei, ceiseman, KenW, Laura P., Fyn Kynd, PaleoJon
Last updated 19 January, 2023 - 7:01am

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