Banded Argiope Spider (Argiope trifasciata)

The large orb-weaver spiders are probably the most often seen spiders in the fall. They've been around all summer, but by fall, the females are large and often construct their webs in conspicuous locations. The garden spider I most often see is the Black & Yellow Argiope (Argiope aurantia) seen here in a previous post. The spider above is a close relative, the Banded Argiope (Argiope trifasciata). Their web is similar in size and shape to that of the yellow garden spider, but it is not uncommon for the stabilimentum (the white zig-zag area) to be absent or have variability in shape.

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