The black and yellow argiope is also called banana spider, yellow garden spider, zipper spider, golden orb weaver and writing spider.
Orb weaver (Encyclopædia Britannica):
Any spider of the family Araneidae (Argiopidae or Epeiridae) of the order Araneida, a large and widely distributed group noted for their orb-shaped webs. More than 2,500 species are known.
In the eastern Unites States, Argiope species, especially A. aurantia, are more commonly known as writing spiders, due to the unique patterns that they build in their webs. In years past, it was sometimes called the "McKinley spider" because in the period before the election that brought McKinley to office someone claimed that the stabilimentum of one spider's web spelled out "McKinley."
An interesting feature of many orb webs is the central white design created by the spider, called a stabilimentum (referring to the idea that it helps stabilize the web). With argiopes, this area is almost round and filled in with many zigzags of silk when the spider is young, but as it grows, the design changes to be more of a single vertical zigzag.
Although big enough to deliver a bite, these spiders are not poisonous or aggressive. Like many spiders, argiopes live only one year, expending all their energy into producing eggs (females) or sperm (males). They die once winter arrives.
Another spider habit that has never been fully explained is that of hanging upside down in the web. Almost all spiders do this - a definitive explanation has yet to emerge.
The picture above is of a female orb spider that JoAnne and Emilie caught while visiting in Wareham, MA. Like so many of the critters we catch we bring them to our home, enjoy them for a short time and them release them in the yard. Hopefully when this lady is released she'll build an impressive web for us to see and photograph and call it home till winter arrives and her duty is fulfilled. This spider also brings back memories of when I was growing up. I recall occasionally seeing these critters around the neighborhood when I was a 'ute'.
*** Quiz Time - again same quiz *** - The term 'Utes" comes from what movie? Come on now! Do we need a hint? Oh, alright then here's a clue, a name or two and that's all I'm gonna give you...'Vincent LaGuardia Gambini' and his fiancée 'Mona Lisa Vito'.
*** UPDATE - Monday 8/28, 2006: We still have this lady in the house. We were planning on letting her go this past weekend but the weather was lousy, yard work to do and I guess I was just plain lazy. However, she has built a web in the terrarium we have her in. It's not the prettiest one I've ever seen but I will blame that on where she is. Saturday night we left the back spot light on and after dark went out and caught her several tasty critters (I think, for I have not tasted one or any, which also means that I have not been on Fear Factor...yet, but if after you've read my "Vlad's Suggestions" postings you don't think I qualify I'd like to hear from you!) that had come to enjoy the night light but unexpectedly became dinner.
The first victim was a Japanese beetle and as soon as this dude hit the web, the spider was ALL over it. It was amazing to watch how the spider twirled the beetle round and round and round while encasing it in a web ball. Once she had the beetle secured she moved back to the center of her web, with the beetle, and began to eat it or actually suck it dry.
We did this several times with different insects and each time she did the exact same thing - pretty amazing to watch.
*** Update August 31, 2006 - We let this little lady go last night in our flower bed of Cone flowers and Black-eyed Susan's. I was hoping to get some pictures but she wasn't too accomodating. When I tried to reposition her on top of a flower, she quickly lowered herself to the ground and scurried up under the plants - apparently she was taking any chances of being put back in the cage. Hopefully she'll like the area we placed her and decide to build a web and hang out there for a while. I will be watching for her, with my camera ready.
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