U-shaped eggsac with flat top

[Elizabeth]

Out in my garden/pots, I find these u-shaped eggsacs (dirty white color) with flat tops attached to plants. This spring, there are tiny spiderlings coming out of them, but what are they? Such distinctive sacs, I thought if I threw it out there, someone might know. Argiopes have the brown round sacs. Widows: round. What about Misumena? We have those around here. (California - coastal, near Santa Cruz.)

I am trying to raise some of the spiderlings, but they aren't going for the dead wispy bugs I've thrown in so far. I have quite a few in the cup, saran wrap on top, tiny holes punched, so that they could cannibalize each other if I can't find acceptable food for them in time...Any hints here for raising at least one successfully?

Thanks for any pointers, even if just to a good resource. What is Foelix? (I saw that mentioned in some other threads.)

[Code Monkey]

What is Foelix? (I saw that mentioned in some other threads.)Don't have any clue on the ID from the eggsac, but Foelix is the author of The Biology of Spiders. A very good book on spider physiology and anatomy but of no use for ID'ing spiders.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0195095944/qid=1081219600/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/104-7930810-5586302?v=glance&s=books

[genious_gr]

I think its some species of argiope...
I've found a place full of these spiders that create a sack just like the one you are talking about. I'm afraid I dont have any pics of the sack though. But I have one of a female and one of some slings I'm now trying to raise.

[genious_gr]

I forgot to mention that I have no tips... I'm trying myself.
In fact, I also forgot to mention that I'd mailed Guy (From giantspiders.com) to help me but I'm afraid I forgot to send him the pics later.
Anyway, he might help, if he still hangs around here... it been a while since I last saw one of his posts

[Elizabeth]

I got this bad feeling as I was waiting to fall asleep last night that I forgot to take a picture of the eggsac myself! Guess I will look for the last sac and see if it is worth trying to snap. However, I got pics of the spiderlings. (But I don't know how to upload pics yet, plus they are very plain right now, no markings at all.)

As far as I know, we don't get that type of Argiope here...we get the black and gold and the trifasciatum, I think. Is that the argentata with that neat abdomen shape? (I could be getting these names all mixed up. When I doublecheck books, I will correct.)

Thanks for the replies.

[genious_gr]

I thought it was a lobata, but Guy describes lobata's aggsacks to be round, thats why I mailed him for and then forgot to send the pics....so I have no idea what it is...

[Elizabeth]

Lobata? I gotta get better books...mine only mention three types of Argiope!

The eggsac that I knew about is destroyed. If I find another intact, I will take a pic.