The MGS Forum
Gardening in mediterranean climates => Wildlife in the garden (birds, butterflies, and how to attract them) => Topic started by: MikeHardman on October 30, 2011, 07:37:31 AM
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This spider was hanging around by a friend's front door yesterday. It had a sparse web and was hanging upside down, hence showing its underside - as in my photo. It is quite big - about 7cm from toe to toe, as it were. I don't know how it looked from the other side, but I could imagine from its highly patterned underside that the topside (more concealed) was relatively plain and drab.
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Argiope lobata,
A common species around the Mediterranean.
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Thank you, Oron.
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Snapped in the garden this morning. No need to ask what it is as Oron has already identified it earlier. I suspect it is one of the culprits who lays booby traps every night so that unsuspecting early-morning garden wanderers like me can walk into them as they enjoy the first cup of tea of the day.
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We've had one in our garden, too; I've been watching it get bigger and bigger over the last couple of weeks. It is now about as fat as my little finger. It has also begun including the zigzag streamer in its web now. I don't know quite what the intention of that is, but I could imagine insects might try to avoid it an get caught in the (near-invisible) web either side of it; I could also imagine it as a slip-rope - to allow the spider to quickly haul-in its prey; other ideas likely. If anybody actually knows, do tell!
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Mike, this zigzag is called Stabilimenta,
there are some speculations regarding its function, but not a good scientific answer.
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Thanks Oron - always good to have a name for something;
and somewhat nice to know we still have to speculate on its function
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Saw this guy hanging around last night and it was still there this morning. First time I've seen one standing guard over a bunch of packages though.
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4 packets - you beat me by one!
I've been keeping half an eye on my ever-growing big Daddy of an Argiope. He's been in the same spot, web strung between two lavender bushes, for weeks now. I reckon if a Tarantula got ensnared in it, he'd become a monster food package - and I dread to think what size big Daddy would become.
Serious little question occurs to me...
Spiders can move around their own webs without getting stuck, but can they get stuck in the web of a different species?
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Haven't seen one of these guys around for a while but almost face to face with this character on today's early morning stroll.
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The character in photo 1 is a very common sight but the web in photo 2 is a new one on me. There didn't appear to be anyone at home and I'm rather concerned about who the owner might be and whether or not they present a problem.
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I see a lot of small 'babies' in photo 2, you just have to wait and see when they are grown up.
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Not sure if this is the same character as the one shown in photo from August but the web is in a similar area. It also seems to have acquired a similar package.