I was out pulling some weeds today and looked up to see the biggest spider I've ever seen outside of the zoo. Its body is at least an inch long! I came in and "googled" for spiders and found Black-and-Yellow Garden Spider - Argiope aurantia which looks very much like it. For now I've decided that it is harmless and welcome to live in my garden. I hope that I'm right about that. If anyone out there is an arachnologist, or is otherwise spider-savvy, could you please let me know if this is something that I should be concerned about?
I know that most spiders are harmless and, if anything, it is probably beneficial to the garden. However, it is also HUGE and freaky and right next to my house. I can't decide whether I want to sit there and watch it or run screaming.
This one is in context - in a very large daylily
A closeup of the spider itself
(but still smaller than the actual spider!)
1 comment:
Hey, I had the same spider on 2 of my hosteas (sp?)one year ago...they were the only plants that didn't get all eaten up from some sort of worm/caterpillar-like thing. Can you tell I am not up to date on bugs!! My advice is to leave it there. It is better looking than a bunch of leaves with holes in them.
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