This is the female Black-and-Yellow Arglope occupying the same web I published a photo of in yesterdays “Weekend Photo” post. The female is considerably larger then the male arglope, on the web in yesterdays photo. The female in this case, front leg tip to back leg tip, spans at least 3.5 inches (8.89 cm)–rather large.
In these photos you can also see the vertical zig-zag stabilimenta built into the center of the web. This is where at least one of the spiders stay most of the day, suspended up-side-down.
Stabilimenta are patterns of dense silk, typically near the center of the web, constructed by a variety of spider species. It’s debated exactly what purpose these unique web structures perform. Among the possibilities are web stabilization, prey attraction and/or spider defense.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
A fine close up with excellent detail and information. And he’s huge!
Some interesting information about spiders. Thanks for these posts!
Always good to keep an eye out for them as you are wandering through fields!
@don: Yea, it’s definitely a big one!
@Eric: Thanks. Perhaps I sometimes share too much information and the text gets a little dry.
However, when my subject is something like this I’ll do research to satisfy my own curiosity and I figure I might as well share what I find in case someone else has the same questions.
@Mark: Definitely! These particular spiders are large enough they don’t even try and hide. When they feel threatened they actually shake their web to try and scare others off. Hey, works for me.
Spiders give me goose-bumps. I’m surprised how fast I can move when one of them in on me. I like the pose of this spider, of course it is a female.