Common name : Yellow garden spider
Scientific name : Argiope aurantia
Family : Araneidae
Native to : United States, Central America, South Canada, Mexico and Hawaii
Interesting fact : The yellow garden spider has a unique web, which is circular with a dense zig-zag webbing running through the centre of the web.
About 19-28 mm in length, the female is larger than the male spider, which is only 5-9 mm in length. This spider creates a unique web near open fields, which protects it from the wind and also keeps it hidden. Once its prey is caught in the webbing, this spider stings the prey with venom paralyzing it and then wrapping it in a cocoon of silk for later consumption. Females lay eggs on a layer of silk and then wrap it to make it look like a ball.
