# What kind of Spider is this?



## DocHoliday (Sep 12, 2009)

I saw it while I was mowing up against one of my out buildings.


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## GRIZZLER46 (Sep 12, 2009)

ONE THAT NEEDS KILLIN


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## Swamp Star (Sep 12, 2009)

looks to be a wrightin spider


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## lab (Sep 12, 2009)

I've always called them a garden spider, I see them at the end of every summer, they are great for killing bugs so leave be.


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## DocHoliday (Sep 12, 2009)

I left it alone until I could find out for sure what it is. It has some pretty colors.


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 12, 2009)

It's a garden spider, commonly called a "writing spider" in my neck of the woods because they often make a zig-zag pattern down the middle of their web. Completely harmless, they're good critters to have around.


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## sRogers (Sep 12, 2009)

yep its a wriring spider for sure. crazy looking spider. dont kill it though they take alot of insects down! if you get close to its web it will start springing back and forth on the web and get very aggresive.


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## FERAL ONE (Sep 12, 2009)

yep !!! i believe "argiope" is the more technical name for them.


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## Brian Groce (Sep 13, 2009)

Thats Charlotte the writing spider.
" One fine pig"


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## DocHoliday (Sep 13, 2009)

Thank y'all for replying to my thread. I appreciate the help with identifying the spider. I left it alone. I thought it was to awesome looking to kill anyway. Their is some truly amazing creatures in this world! 

Thanks again:
Doc


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## KULL NUTHIN' (Sep 13, 2009)

that's charloette!!


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## Tag-a-long (Sep 14, 2009)

I LOVE those spiders.  If the robin is the harbinger of spring, garden spiders signify the beginning of fall.  We used to have them outside our kitchen windows when I was little.  I'd watch them every morning while I waited for the school bus.  Enjoy her while she lasts... she won't be there long.


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## K9SAR (Sep 15, 2009)

Another thing that's neat about 'Writing Spiders' is if you very lightly, and I mean LIGHTLY blow/breathe on their web enough that it alerts the spider, the spider will start rocking it back and forth trying to catch its prey  (your breath, in this case)/stick more web onto the prey.


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## DocHoliday (Sep 15, 2009)

K9SAR said:


> Another thing that's neat about 'Writing Spiders' is if you very lightly, and I mean LIGHTLY blow/breathe on their web enough that it alerts the spider, the spider will start rocking it back and forth trying to catch its prey  (your breath, in this case)/stick more web onto the prey.


Cool, thanks for the info.


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## Mel (Sep 16, 2009)

I like to toss big ants or other small insects into the web and watch that joker pounce on them.  Pretty cool.


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## fishingtiger (Sep 16, 2009)

I have these in my yard right now. Love to catch grass hoppers and toss them in the web. These spiders are awesome predators. 

I even threw a 2 inch long preying mantis in the web the other day and the spider was half its size. The spider jumped on that mantis and wrapped it up. 

Pretty crazy!


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## dawg2 (Sep 16, 2009)

K9SAR said:


> Another thing that's neat about 'Writing Spiders' is if you very lightly, and I mean LIGHTLY blow/breathe on their web enough that it alerts the spider, the spider will start rocking it back and forth trying to catch its prey  (your breath, in this case)/stick more web onto the prey.



I touch their back to make them do that


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## Bell_Man (Sep 16, 2009)

The nephila clavipes banana spider of North America possesses venom similar in nature to the venom of the black widow, but far less potent, making it quite harmless to humans. A bite from a North American banana spider will not result in much more than a welt that will pass within 24 hours.

N. clavipes banana spiders have elongated bodies that resemble a banana in shape and coloring, beautifully bright yellow and black. The males are about half the size of females, and dark colored. Females grow quite large with a body length of about 1.1 inches (33 cm). North American banana spiders prefer sunny areas and tend to like tall plants or trees. They will often spin a web across a walkway or trail, spanning several feet. The web of the North American banana spider is orb-shaped, golden, and is stronger than most spiders' webs. In fact its silk is stronger than comparable threads of Kevlar or steel.

The North American banana spider is not aggressive, but if you notice banana spiders building webs close to your home and would like them to move, simply tear down the webs. The spiders will relocate further away where they can continue to do their part in keeping down the insect population. 

Other names for the N. clavipes or North American banana spider include the writing spider and golden orb weaver. The argiope or yellow and black garden spider is similar in size and sometimes confused with the banana spider. It too is known as 'the writing spider' due to zig-zag patterns in its web.


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## dawg2 (Sep 16, 2009)

Bell_Man said:


> The nephila clavipes banana spider of North America possesses venom similar in nature to the venom of the black widow, but far less potent, making it quite harmless to humans. A bite from a North American banana spider will not result in much more than a welt that will pass within 24 hours.
> 
> N. clavipes banana spiders have elongated bodies that resemble a banana in shape and coloring, beautifully bright yellow and black. The males are about half the size of females, and dark colored. Females grow quite large with a body length of about 1.1 inches (33 cm). North American banana spiders prefer sunny areas and tend to like tall plants or trees. They will often spin a web across a walkway or trail, spanning several feet. The web of the North American banana spider is orb-shaped, golden, and is stronger than most spiders' webs. In fact its silk is stronger than comparable threads of Kevlar or steel.
> 
> ...



It is an Argiope Aurantia not a Banana Spider.

One other thing, she is so FAT because she is full of eggs and getting ready to lay.  She will have an egg sac about the size of a cherry that will be tan silk and will somewhere nearby.


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## K9SAR (Sep 16, 2009)

I second that; it's an _Argiope_.  You can tell because it's black and yellow versus dots on a tan/brownish ab, and their abdomens are different shapes, too.  _Nephilia_ tend to be more oblong while _Agriopes_ are more round.  

I am not a spider fan, but as soon as I had seen one of these guys/gals hanging out at a cabin I had, I checked into them  Just goes to show you that they can be mistaken for one another


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## DOXIELADY (Sep 16, 2009)

Its my favorite spider unfortunly one knew that last week made a beautiful web over my door way of my laundry room,anyways I  got one of those long duster things ,to take her back outside ,well on the way out she decides to dangle down  like a fishing line with a worm on the end and I kept pulling up just like I was fishing ,while my son laughed his butt off at me ,and wee wee my dachshund ate her ,and yes I cried ,........my wee wee ate charolotte

I know I am


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## K80 (Sep 16, 2009)

Since it is called the writing spinder, when I was a kid we used to tease the younger kids that if one herd someone speak your name enough it would write it in it's web and legend had it you would die.  As soon as we'd tell them that one of us would walk up to the writing spider's web and say their name over and over until they took off hollerin and cryin for their momma.


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## K80 (Sep 16, 2009)

DOXIELADY said:


> Its my favorite spider unfortunly one knew that last week made a beautiful web over my door way of my laundry room,anyways I  got one of those long duster things ,to take her back outside ,well on the way out she decides to dangle down  like a fishing line with a worm on the end and I kept pulling up just like I was fishing ,while my son laughed his butt off at me ,and wee wee my dachshund ate her ,and yes I cried ,........my wee wee ate charolotte
> 
> I know I am



That is horrible, how are you going to break the news to wilbur?


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## K9SAR (Sep 16, 2009)

My GSD thinks all bugs are his friends, but he tends to act like Lenny from "Of Mice and Men."  (aka will jump up excitedly, land on them, kill them, and then wait.......very patiently......for them to continue running like they were).


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## Bell_Man (Sep 17, 2009)

dawg2 said:


> It is an Argiope Aurantia not a Banana Spider.
> 
> One other thing, she is so FAT because she is full of eggs and getting ready to lay.  She will have an egg sac about the size of a cherry that will be tan silk and will somewhere nearby.



Other names for the N. clavipes or North American banana spider include the writing spider and golden orb weaver. The argiope or yellow and black garden spider is similar in size and sometimes confused with the banana spider. It too is known as 'the writing spider' due to zig-zag patterns in its web. 
 read it again


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## Cottontail (Sep 17, 2009)

That is a writing spider old saying says if they write your name in there web you will die !!!! (Never say anyones name around them ...  (LOL)


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## redneckcamo (Sep 17, 2009)

writing spiders are great pest control !!  

just dont feed em too many grasshoppers or it will kill em ....... it did mine !!   or maybe it was gonna die anyway ....but I wont do that again !! 



 there is a big one now all webbed out on the side of my old truck ... very kool !


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## K9SAR (Sep 17, 2009)

Bell_Man said:


> Other names for the N. clavipes or North American banana spider include the writing spider and golden orb weaver. The argiope or yellow and black garden spider is similar in size and sometimes confused with the banana spider. It too is known as 'the writing spider' due to zig-zag patterns in its web.
> read it again




Yes, both spiders are [colloquially] called "writing spiders," but the spider pictured by the OP is definitely of the genus _Agriope_ and NOT of the genus _Nephilia_.  There are differences between the two spiders and that includes their respective scientific names.

_Nephilia_:







_Agriope_:


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## shakey gizzard (Sep 17, 2009)

Not all "zigzag" their webs!


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