What is on my porch??

[DogToggler]

Sorry for the lame cell phone pic, but I really want to know what this thing is. I work in attics, basements, and crawl spaces all the time, so I've seen a lot of ugly spiders, but nothing like this beast:evil: .

[crpy]

Black and yellow garden spider=harmless moth and mosquito catcher:)

[DogToggler]

Wow, thanks for the quick info. I'm amazed by the size of it. Spotted it from about 10 ft away and nearly dropped my peace pipe:eek: !

[crpy]

they are good to keep around, and make a great conversation piece at parties:D

[ScottySalticid]

Holy Crap How Big Is That?

[crpy]

Holy Crap How Big Is That?

lol, the foreground seems to be in the background, they are about 2.5-3 inch body length. That one is chock full of eggs

[What]

Argiope aurantia

[Moltar]

Man, I love love love this genus. They are without a doubt my favorite true spideys. We have them in my neck of the woods but they're not particularly numerous.

[fang333999]

i saw one of those at my grandmothers once, i was like 10 i couldnt believe how huge it was :eek:

[calum]

beautiful spider. all the argiopes are. there are 1000's in jersey... there were like 40 in the back garden, Argiope bruennichi.

[The Snark]

Hope I am not hijacking this thread. Can anyone tell me when Argiope season runs, both date and temperature and humidity? I've been waiting for these kids to come back out for months!

[ErikWestblom]

lol, the foreground seems to be in the background, they are about 2.5-3 inch body length. That one is chock full of eggs

Are you sure you don't mean leg span? :confused: {D

[EightLeggedFrea]

I saw one of those near my house years ago. It was such a beautiful spider.

[crpy]

Are you sure you don't mean leg span? :confused: {D

Somewhere around there, I haven't actually taken a ruler to them:rolleyes: {D

Tell you what, when you come to my place in mid summer they are plump, and we can measure them.:)

[Skullptor]

cool thing is if you feed it regularly it won't move. It will stay where the feeding is good.

[crpy]

I hope the OP will be back, it might have been a one time question answer thing.:?

[DogToggler]

cool thing is if you feed it regularly it won't move. It will stay where the feeding is good.

Yes it has not moved. There are a ton of moths and other insects to eat on the porch.

I should have taken a photo with a dollar bill in the frame for reference. The body alone is at least a couple of inches. That is cool that it is full of eggs, wouldn't mind having more of those guys around if they are harmless and eat mosquitoes. Also it is located in central mass if anyone was wondering.

[crpy]

Yes it has not moved. There are a ton of moths and other insects to eat on the porch.

I should have taken a photo with a dollar bill in the frame for reference. The body alone is at least a couple of inches. That is cool that it is full of eggs, wouldn't mind having more of those guys around if they are harmless and eat mosquitoes. Also it is located in central mass if anyone was wondering.

Excellent attitude:D She will make an egg case that looks like a sac and hang it from a plant or maybe up on the house some where. That will over winter and they will hatch in the spring time. She will die in the fall, you know ,the old Charlottes web thing.

[halfwaynowhere]

i have an argiope question... the males are smaller than the females, but by how much?
I caught a little spider crawling on my arm last night (in my bedroom- weird), and i'm pretty sure it was a yellow argiope. Had the right shape and coloring. I let it go outside. It was about 3/4" legspan. so pretty tiny. Thinking it might have been a young male.
I haven't seen any of these around for a long time, would be nice to start seeing them again.

[crpy]

way smaller, theres a good view here, same as the female/male Nephila pic in my profile.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/2025

[Tarangela]

Glad you are keeping her on your porch :D I love those spiders, and wish more would stay at my house, they are welcome any time {D

If she leaves you a sac, you will be lucky, and have some little ones this coming spring!

Good luck to you, takes pics and things now, while you have time!!

[J_dUbz88]

one of my fav spiders as well used to see them and catch them all the time when i was young dident see one for about 12 years and then jsut this year i saw 2 while landscaping. i was soo excited.

[DogToggler]

Kind of off topic, but I saw this guy at work today, so I thought why not snap a pic and see if it is anything interesting.

Sorry for the terrible quality picture. It is smaller than my friend on the porch, but still fairly large.

[Drachenjager]

Sorry for the lame cell phone pic, but I really want to know what this thing is. I work in attics, basements, and crawl spaces all the time, so I've seen a lot of ugly spiders, but nothing like this beast:evil: .

Argiope aurantia

[What]

Kind of off topic, but I saw this guy at work today, so I thought why not snap a pic and see if it is anything interesting.

Sorry for the terrible quality picture. It is smaller than my friend on the porch, but still fairly large.

Agelenid... funnel web weaver spider.

[Hamburglar]

I really love Argiope spiders... I an not sure exactly what species we have here in Oklahoma. There was a large female that laid a total of three egg sacks clumped together on my back porch. She remained there in her web until I saw her eventually dead as the seasons were changing. Fascinating spiders...

Edit: it is also fun to feed them from time to time... I have thrown a small cricket or two in their webs... really fun to watch the wrap.

[DogToggler]

Here is the egg sac... hard to believe these things survive New England winters.

There was a brief period of time after the sac was produced when the mother was still hanging around. Amazing how much smaller she was! I wish I had snapped a photo then...:wall:

[imanidiot777]

I video taped one of those attacking a wasp that fell in its web and it was at a BBQ, whoever said it makes good party conversation was RIGHT! ;P

The video is so huge though so when I get around to editing it I'll put it on Youtube and link it to here if it is soon.