anybody know what kind of spider this is?

[ashling]

My wife and I took these yesterday afternoon in the front yard.

[johnnie]

1. Yup

They have been all over the news

http://www.wlbz2.com/news/watercooler/article.aspx?storyid=70002

Oh, they don't say what type it is.

Here is another story saying the webs have multiple types of spiders in the webs

http://www.heraldbanner.com/local/local_story_270005822.html

[ashling]

4. we are in Denton, whic is pretty near there

but your link still doesn't tell me what kindit is. Damn, now I hve to go look it up. LOL

[tandot]

2. A Garden Spider?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_garden_spider


Good to hear that they are harmless to humans. Boy, they sure look scary :scared:

[Mugu]

14. Some people call them Corn Spiders, some people call them Garden Spiders.

Regardless they are harmless to humans and eat many problem insects.



Regards, Mugu

[Gonzo Gardener]

3. It is an Orb weaver - Argiope aurantia.

Perfectly harmless garden spider.

[ashling]

6. Thanks

I knew it was harmless, I just wondered what the name was . . . al the black widows live in the house.
:rofl:

[johnnie]

7. I think you are correct

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Argiope_aurantia.html

[ashling]

11. Thanks, johnnie

That is a cool site. I had wondered what those zig zag structures were. Very interesting spider
:yourock:

[Richard Steele]

16. Yup. Distinctive 3 different ways, and one of the only spiders that can be ID'd just by its web.

That thick "zig-zag" pattern of multiple strands just below web center.
No one knows what purpose that serves, but no other spider does it.

[SPKrazy]

5. big one

n/t

[ashling]

8. Thanks, Southpaw

good to know I can always count on you for technical info

:rofl:

[Danger Mouse]

9. ah, the deadly acid spitter.

[krispos42]

10. There are only two kinds of spiders

The ones I've squished out of irrational fear, and the ones I haven't yet squished out of irrational fear.

:scared:

[Adsos Letter]

12. those top two shots would be good for the photography forum...

...just sayin'...

:D

[ashling]

13. I didn't realize we had one

thanks

[RushIsRot]

15. When I was growing up, they were called writing spiders because

of those zig-zags in the web. It was said if they wrote your name, you would die. They always had terrible penmanship as I recall, however.

[raccoon]

35. You beat me to the post, Rushis. I was wondering was I the only one who'd heard them called writing

spiders.

I also heard the superstition about them. Must be a Southern thing.

[Mugu]

17. Use a blade of grass or a feather to tickle their web.

And you can run them all over their web for fun. They have no aggressive interest in humans and are quite attractive to look at. Just because they have eight legs is no reason to be frightened of them.

Regards, Mugu

[ruiner4u]

18. If I saw it, it would be a dead spider...

I dont deal with spiders..

[alphafemale]

19. She's a garden spider, and she will be laying an egg sac soon.

Then she'll be considerably thinner.

We had a couple this summer. They are pretty neat.

[Jamastiene]

20. Orb Spider, garden spider, writing spider, she goes by many names.

None as sweet as she actually is. I call them princess spiders, but that's my own concoction, just because I think they are so regal.

If she has already laid her egg sacs, she will be ferocious, which means if you touch her web, you'll feel some of the strength she has in her legs. She won't hurt you though, she's just pull her web up tight with her legs.

These are the spiders I like best of them all. I used to be a spider hater, but these are the spiders that broke me of that. The one in the picture is female. The males are smaller and not as colorful.

Gorgeous, ain't she?

[Skittles]

22. same here

I used to be afraid of spiders until I lived on a farm and one of these gorgeous zippers built a web in the corner by the front door every summer - just beautiful gals, so fun to watch - she'd even have a tiny, tiny mate.....although, I could have done without the carcass deposits (on the deck) from her many "snacks".

I got so unafraid of spiders I would pick up a wolf spider in the house and toss him outside, lest he become the cats' latest toy. :o

[Skittles]

21. here in Texas we call 'em ZIPPERS

best looking spiders EVER - absolutely FASCINATING :thumbsup:

They're ARGIOPES:

http://home.att.net/~larvalbugrex/argiope.html

[Phentex]

24. here in GA too. Zipper spider

we had a very cool web last year.

[Skittles]

25. they are so beautiful

you can get pretty close to spy on them without them feeling threatened too

[Orsino]

30. Or writing spiders.

They are cool, unless you go posting pictures of 'em on the Internets. Then they come to your house and spit venom at you.

[WilliamPitt]

23. I call those "aaaaaAAAAAA!!!" spiders.

Damn.

*twitch*

[stuntcat]

26. Fancy

the Fancy-Assed kind of spider. Your pictures are great, thanks for posting them! I love garden spiders, even if I'm still creeped out by them.

[Arkansas Granny]

28. I feel pretty much the same about spiders. If they are outside I can

tolerate them, but if they get into my living space they are called dead spiders. Other insects don't bother me and I can even handle snakes (except for poisonous ones), but spiders absolutely unnerve me.

[crispini]

27. I have one of those sweeties right in my front window.

I call her "Charlotte" and she is most fun to watch. I have seen her eating her web -- they do that before rebuilding -- making her web, eating a bug, cutting a dead leaf out of her web (that's fascinating to watch!) and making her egg sac. She's quite a blessing!

[flvegan]

29. The kind where if I got too close without knowing it, I'd shriek and run like a little girl.

Which would be quite the sight.

[LeftyMom]

31. Is there any other kind of spider?

:eyes:

[flvegan]

32. Hush, you

I have little spiders all over my yard. No problem. It's the bigger ones (or any that get in my house) that I don't like.

So there.

[LeftyMom]

33. OMIGOD THERE'S ONE RIGHT BEHIND YOU!

Want a cat? Trin eats 'em. It's kinda icky when there's a squirmy leg hanging out the corner of her mouth, but my house is an arachnid (and cricket) free zone.

[Eurobabe]

34. A big fucking one!!

nice shot.

[CRF450]

36. As a kid...

I caught a tree frog one time, and their was one of those big Orb Weaver spiders close by. So I tossed the frog into web and watched it become the spiders meal. I know I know, it was cruel of me, but it was just amazing seing that spider take down a frog.

[redqueen]

37. A beautiful one!

I love spiders. :)

[Thirtieschild]

38. Had spiders like that in Atlanta, always one on the front porch.

Called them golden orb spiders. Don't know where I got the name.

[CottonBear]

39. Garden or Orb spiders. They are very beautiful and eat bugs.

There are dozens at thearm where I board my mare. They are really neat to watch and they have really cool webs.