#corn spider

Saw a garden spider, or better known as a writing spider or Golden Orb Weaver, this morning!

Fun fact; orbweavers make webs in a zig zag pattern! Though, scientists are unsure why they do this!

They are rather harmless to humans, and if threatened or disturbed they will drop from their web and hide.

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A very lovely lady. The aptly named black and yellow garden spider, Argiope aurantia, spins a complex zig-zagy web. The ornate pattern called the stabelmentum *might* be created to prevent birds from flying into the web. How thoughtful! 

A rather impressive stabelmentum YouTube video I have nothing to do with. 

Image source:  Dawn King, License; continuing with non-insect November

Common name(s): corn spider, garden spider, common garden spider, yellow garden spider, black and yellow garden spider, golden garden spider, zig-zag spider, McKinley spider and several others this girl collects names like coffee mugs

Scientific name: Agriope aurantia

Can it hurt me?: While they are capable of biting humans, they are not aggressive and it basically requires you to pick them up in a threatening manner (ex. cupping hands around them, sudden movements, etc.) for a corn spider to bite. Even if they do bite you, their venom isn't very potent and is comparable in pain to a bee sting.

Can it hurt my plants?: No

Should I kill it?: No, they are good to have around and won't cause you trouble. In the event that one has built her web in a heavily trafficked area and you need to move her, catch and release of spiders from a web is pretty easy. Just get a container with a wide mouth, at least a couple inches deep, and a lid (ex. an empty sour cream container). Lift the base of the container carefully beneath the spider going into the web a bit, ideally getting as close to the spider as possible. Then gently bring the lid down forcing the spider into the container. If you're more squeamish about spiders, larger containers make this extra easy. Then just move the spider somewhere safer, preferably somewhere near a bush or small tree where she can build a new web.

Anything else I should know?: The spiders that look like the one in the photo are always female. Males exist, but they're much smaller, brown, and have next to no interesting markings so people tend not to notice them unless they're courting/mating with the much more eye-catching females. This is one of those species where the female often eats the male after mating. Or before mating. Sometimes she's just hungry.