Our pet spider: Banana Jo(sephine)
The spider species Argiope aurantia is commonly known as the yellow garden spider, black and yellow garden spider, golden garden spider, writing spider, or corn spider. They have distinctive yellow and black markings on their abdomens and a mostly white cephalothorax. These spiders may bite if disturbed or harassed, but the venom is seemingly harmless to humans. Garden spiders often build webs in areas adjacent to open sunny fields where they stay concealed and protected from the wind. The spider can also be found along the eaves of houses and outbuildings or in any tall vegetation where they can securely stretch a web. The circular part of the female's web may reach two feet in diameter. Webs are built at elevations from two to eight feet off the ground. Female Argiope aurantia spiders tend to be somewhat local, often staying in one place throughout much of their lifetime. She lays her eggs at night on a sheet of silky material, then covers them with another layer of silk, then a protective brownish silk. She then uses her legs to form the sheet into a ball with an upturned neck. She guards the eggs against predation as long as she is able. However, as the weather cools, she becomes more frail, and dies around the time of the first hard frost. In the spring, the young spiders exit the sac and are so tiny that their collection of bodies look like dust gathered inside the silk mesh. Some of the spiderlings remain nearby, but others exude a strand of silk that gets caught by the breeze, carrying the spiderling to a more distant area.
Our writing spider has been in our window since at least the first day of school. She is awesome!
Update: Banana Josephine has passed, but her three egg sacs remain in the window for us to watch over until spring.
Update: As the weather gets warmer, we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our spider babies that have been hanging out in the egg sacs since late fall.
Update: August 2016 All of Josephine's babies flew away on little pieces of silk right around spring break. I miss them, but I am so thrilled we had Josephine to watch for so long!
Our writing spider has been in our window since at least the first day of school. She is awesome!
Update: Banana Josephine has passed, but her three egg sacs remain in the window for us to watch over until spring.
Update: As the weather gets warmer, we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our spider babies that have been hanging out in the egg sacs since late fall.
Update: August 2016 All of Josephine's babies flew away on little pieces of silk right around spring break. I miss them, but I am so thrilled we had Josephine to watch for so long!