Black and yellow argiope.

[straight8]

Backyard in June 2004.

[Steve_Ray]

They are beautiful spiders. I see them quite frequently around my house.

[FlawedCoil82]

These have always been my top favorites. I have handled these (as well as banded garden spiders) since the age of 4 and to this day, I have never been bitten. When I was a kid, my mom (much to her disgust) would have to drive me down country roads so I could try to capture a few of these beauties to bring them back home and release them in the fields and bushes around our house (since I only got banded argiopes to come around on their own). I'd be so happy the next morning to see which of the black and yellow garden spiders had decided to stay.

There are currently a few young banded garden spiders in the weeds behind my house but so far, no black and yellows. I may have to go on a search for some soon so they can lay eggsacs around my house and I can be blessed with some next year. :)
Jack

[Ariel]

I have always loved these spiders, it really is a shame they only live a season, they're incredibly beautiful. Acctually, in about an hour I'm leaving to get my first tattoo and it's this spider! Designed like da vinci's range of motion {D

[FlawedCoil82]

I am honestly not the biggest fan of tattoos, but I have never seen a garden spider one before. You should post a picture of it. :)
Jack

[Ariel]

I know lots of people who arn't, but both of my parents have lots, I kind of grew up with it, so it was my 18th b-day present. its the one with the banded legs. unfortunately he colored the carapace wrong, but its still pretty awesome :)

[FlawedCoil82]

That is actually pretty cool looking. I only woulda wanted it facing head down like they do in nature and the 2 bottom yellow spots should have been larger than he made them. Otherwise, if I had to like a tattoo, I'd like that one. lol Thanks for the pics.
Jack

[Ariel]

I agree there a few things here and there that are wrong with it, but art isn't all about percision, and it's still cool so I'm not going to fuss. :) and thanks, it hurt like the blazens! {D

[FlawedCoil82]

Well I looked at the weeds behind the house today and this year I have one black and yellow, while my neibor has about 16 behind his house. :wall: They just didn't come to me this year. I am gonna ask him the next time he is out if he will let me transport a few of those little beauties onto my property so that I won't have to keep going on his property to look at and feed them.
Jack