Kinda like this? Male on top, female on bottom. I've got 20 of these fatties this year in my yard. Yellow and Black Argiope.

You are the winner DBD!!! The one on my patio doesn't have those marking on her legs though, they are more of a reddish brown, but we are talking about the same spider. She's HUGE & she's gorgeous!!!!! She's also got all eight of her legs fanned out, not smooshed together to where it looks like four. I guess she's stretching out for a little bit. I hope she catches the 1000 grasshoppers that are in my yard.

Thanks!

They are my favorites! I have tons of them...and very few grasshoppers, I might add!

If she is plump, like this:

then she probably hasn't created her egg sac yet.

Keep an eye on her and when she slims down (usually overnight), look around for it...it will be about the same size as her (little larger) and look like a punching bag. It will most likely be attached to the patio supports, or some other strong structure. It will be close to her web, though, they don't stray far.

One female will sometimes create multiple sacs throughout the season, depending on the food supply she receives.

Take care not to destroy it this winter and you will have lots of these next year.

She is that plump web_kat!! That much and more! She's huge.

What will happen if I throw a grasshopper in to her web? You think she'll appreciate that? I've got TONS of grasshoppers.

She will appreciate a feeding, but don't throw them...place them in the web. She will usually shake the web a bit to make sure it is secure, then truck on down and wrap it up. It takes a bit of practice actually...:o)

Here is a pic of an egg sac for reference:

Those are beautiful spiders! I've got one in my yard. The first time I fed her a grasshopper, she practically snatched it out of my hand and wrapped it up and started sucking on it faster than I could blink.

I tried to feed her a Katydid a couple of days ago. She shook the web until it fell off. She appeared scared of it because she flipped to the other side of the web in a hurry.

I found the secret is to let the grasshopper legs tickle the web gently and if they're hungry, they'll get it. If you upset her too much, she won't take it.

Enjoy!

Sheila

I have a few in my yard this year too. I have always known them a Golden Garden Spiders. I also have a bunch of "hunchbacks" this year. One has a web covering my kitchen window. My wife wanted me to get rid of it, but I refused. Me and the kids named her Sue! After that, the wife gave up!

An update on my "girl" in the backyard. I noticed this weekend that she was much much slimmer than she had been. So I went out to get a closer look and sure enough there is a little punching bag egg sac attached to my house. I only see one sac though. I tried to feed her a grasshopper a few days back but the grasshopper was able to get out of the web somehow. Strangely though, I've not seen one grasshopper in my yard since!!! hahahahaa!!

How much longer will she be alive? I have started a morning ritual of looking out my window and seeing her. I'm going to miss her when she isn't there anymore. My husband threatened to kill her bc he thinks the web makes us look like we don't take care of our house. I told him that if he killed her, I'd kill him. ;)

I promise to try and take some pictures tonight. I just wish I had taken a picture of her before she slimmed down, she was HUGE!!! Now she's a skinny minny.

When can I look for the baby spiders to hatch? Next Spring?

Thanks everyone for your comments.

Here's one that always works. Just before he falls asleep, lean over and whisper "Spiders aren't the only ones who kill their mates." Then roll over and let em ponder that all night. LOL

Exxxxxactly DBD!!! Exactly!

:) Pictures coming soon.

Ok I thought I posted pics but I guess not. Let me try again....beware though, they are not crystal clear like I see most are on here. I don't have a very steady hand.

[IMG]http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b212/MisserLisser/spider004.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b212/MisserLisser/spider002.jpg[/IMG]

Ok those links didn't work and I'm having a blond PC moment so I'll just link to my photobucket account.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b212/MisserLisser/spider004.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b212/MisserLisser/spider002.jpg

She's beautiful!! Yep...you will have to wait until next year to see more of them...

She will only set one egg sac at a time...if she gets enough food before a freeze sets in, she will probably set another.

Hopefully she has chosen a good spot for her sac...the side of a building usually works great. I am going to have to move some of mine, they are attached to daylilies, iris, etc...those plants will be flat by spring time.

Next year, once you have more...don't be afraid to move them to a more desirable spot (or one that is lacking in spiders). They don't venture too far from their original birth place. Just take a long stick and gently coax them onto the end of it, then walk slowly to the new location and coax them off. They don't move too fast on "land"...just in their webs. They don't really like to be in "open" gardens...usually ones against a building/wall/other structure will be more favorable...

Also, to make hubby happy, you can always move one that reduces "curb appeal"....just wait until after they have had a meal and go for it.

Her egg sac looks like it is inside a smaller web that is attached to my house(bricks). I think the egg sac will be safe there. I am scared to move the babies when they hatch. I prefer to look at them and not touch! tee hee! I'm chicken. When will they start to come out of the sac? At a certain temperature in the Spring? When the babies come out of the sac how long do I have to "move" them? Like if I am at work and they decide to come out, have I lost my chance? I honestly think where momma decided to place herself and the sac is ideal if you ask me. She's got my whole back patio to herself. Right now her web is full of tiny gnats. She doesn't seem interested in eating them. When she dies, will she fall off her web? I'm just wondering how I'll know when she is gone bc she never moves from the center of her web that I see.

How will you move the egg sacs in your yard? Just take them and place them somewhere? My house is only 14 months old so we don't have a lot of landscaping yet, just the basics right now. I will start planting more in the Spring. She has attached one side of her web to my house and the other part of the web is attached to bags of potting soil I have piled up that I was going to use to fill in some holes in the yard from the new construction. When I saw her I decided the holes needed to wait.

I'm really going to be upset when I look out the window one day soon and she isn't there.

Yes, she sure did pick a great spot for the sac...the ones attached to the buildings are very protected. I will move the egg sacs to a protected spot (leaving them attached to whatever dried foliage they are on)...probably the "inside" of a shrub or something that will withstand snowpack.

I am trying to remember if they disappear after a frost or a freeze....it is a bit sad, but knowing that they have done their job and delivered many new "troops" to enjoy the following year is comforting.

You probably won't be moving the babies....most will not survive...predators, etc...doubt you will even see them...it is hard to determine when they have left the sac...it stays intact.

You will move the spiders when they are older and really beginning to choose a "territory"....spin a web and set up house....generally they will begin appearing after the grasshoppers are almost fully grown....just in the nick of time.....

I rarely notice mine until then...they must hide pretty well.

You know, thought I should mention, these spiders are slow moving (for a spider) and non-agressive, but I wouldn't attempt to handle them...they can deliver a nice bite if they feel a need.

Wow I didn't know they would bite, most things I've read about them are that they are harmless. I won't handle her or the babies anyway. I like to just look and not touch. I still have a fear of spiders touch-wise but I do love to watch them "work." My children know to just look as well and not touch.

I took a look at her this morning and I was afraid that she was dying because it looked like she was hanging slightly off her web, like maybe she was on her last leg. Then I remembered that this spider eats her web each night and rebuilds in the morning. I watched her for about 20 minutes while she spun a nice, new, clean web. Very cool. I should have taken a little film of it with the digital camera but I didn't. I'll see if I can catch the show again tomorrow morning and film a little clip of it if you all are interested. I'm still kicking myself for not snapping a picture of her when she was FAT!! We haven't had our first frost yet so she should be around for a while yet. I'm hoping that she'll make another egg sac. She is getting fed very well. I'll do all I can to protect the sac this winter. We really don't have many birds around since our house is new construction there are hardly any trees around.

Thanks for everything!!!

Lisser, any spider can bite if provoked (accidentally or on purpose). Most of them go out of their way to avoid conflict with us. These wonderful garden spiders are so cool in that they are pretty predictable as to their 'whereabouts', unlike the hunting spiders which may end up in the bed with you, or inside the shower curtain.

EWWW rhizo!!! I'd rather them stay outside and I think they would rather be outside as well. I did know that all spiders could and would bite but I sort of thought the only spiders in my area I needed to really worry about being bitten by were Brown Recluse and Black Widows.

Does anyone care to try and ID this little guy?

http://img48.imageshack.us/my.php?image=spiderfrontviewlt2.jpg

http://img92.imageshack.us/my.php?image=spiderbellybj5.jpg

Or should I start a new topic on him? I showed a friend the pics I took of my spider and she wants to know what type of spider she has in her window. Personally, I think my spider is prettier ;)

Thanks in advance!!

We've got it pretty easy in the States. Imagine living in Central or South America, or Asia and having 5-10 inch tarantulas to deal with.

Or my fiesty 6" Brazilian Red and White

And this 10" Goliath Birdeater with a tennis ball size abdomen and 2" fangs

PS, the other spider is an Orb Weaver (maybe Araneus or Neoscona.) Pretty harmless, sort of predictable in their whereabouts like the Argiope, but they have a tendency to build webs across areas like side yards near a light source, so if you like sneaking around at night, be prepared to get zapped by a huge web. :)

DBD...YOU ARE SOOOOOO MEAN! Just when I think that I have my simmering arachniphobia under control. Yikes!

lisser, I didn't mean to imply that your lovely spider was dangerous. I DO consider them harmless! Should you get bitten by such a spider, or any other spider other than the handful of really poisonous ones we have, you would likely suffer nothing more than a itchy, red bump for a few days. I've been bitten by zillions of spiders and never once felt the bite, just the annoying symptoms afterwards. That's what it meant by being harmless.

I have the same brown orb weaver in residence outside my home. She builds a big web right across our back door every evening, trapping us inside VERY effectively, lol. By sunrise, it's gone. Haven't found her daytime hiding spot yet.

I only cautioned because they are so pretty and I, myself, have been tempted to transport a few by hand....

More than likely, it would have been safe, but I don't think they could hold a pen and sign the "be nice and don't bite me 'cuz I am not going to hurt you" contract I would draw up. LOL!

Instinctually, they would probably think "danger, danger!".

Yea...DBD....we could have done without the heebie jeebies...we have tarantulas around here (the Missouri Tarantula)....found one in my tall, rubber mud boot one time! Glad I turned the boot upside down before I stepped into it! They are not as big as your monsters, but quite the intimidating creature, nonetheless.

Up date on the spider? :) arum

Let's put this fear of spiders in perspective everyone. You are in much more danger from yellow jackets nesting on your house or in your yard than from a golden orb spider (the one here). Yellow jackets are very territorial, and very aggressive. I have to deal with 5-10 nests around my yard every year and have gotten quite good at it.

Just because there are more scary movies about 50 foot spiders than 50 foot yellow jackets is no reason to be scared of spiders. Just treat every wild animal with respect, including spiders and yellow jackets. Ok, eliminate all YJs, but anyway...

chuckr30...I think you took our banter a bit seriously...LOL!

We were just being silly...we all love spiders and this happens to be a favorite.

I just have to say this. I have Arachnophobia.

When I was in college my Entomology professor plopped a container of preserved insects in front of me. Guess what was right on the top of the pile. Yep a spider. Personally I didn't care if I embarrassed myself. I told him that there was no way I would ever reach into that jar bare handed. I asked for a pair of tweezer or forceps. After searching around he found something for me to use. Everyone thought it was funny.... Not so when I'm paralyzed with fear. My professor teased me occasionally about this but it was good natured.

Don't get me wrong I don't kill spiders. Their importance as predators is unmatched (that's my opinion of course). If they are hanging over my head or get in my face I scoot them away.

I've been reading everyone's posts here and can actually feel the hair on my arms stand up. Yikes.