• Scientific Name: Argiope aurantia
• Common Name: Black and Yellow Garden Spider
• Family:  Araneidae
• Subspecies:
• Max Size: “Adult female body length ranges from 19 to 28 mm (3/4 to 1 1/8 in.), while males reach only 5 to 9 mm (1/4 – 3/8 in.).”(2)
• Antivenom: Not Applicable
• Geographical Range: From Canada to Costa Rica. (2, 3)
• Conservation Status: Stable
• Keeper Experience (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced): Beginner

Introduction

These are some the large true spiders. They are beautiful and not dangerous. They great for gardens and backyards for appearance sake and to lower mosquito and fly populations.

Identification

Look for large webs, sitting in the middle of them. Typical Orbweaver behavior. Females much larger than males.

Sexual Dimorphism

Males are much smaller than the females.

When To Look for Them

In the Southern United States, look during the summer months, especially around June and July.

Behavior

Desire to flee, not defensive.

I can not say for certain this is preferred environment, but the population I was studying was typically found near the river, while Trichonephila clavipes was more commonly found in the wooded areas among the trees, however, their were exceptions for both species.

Husbandry

They would be difficult to keep indoors because they require such a large space. Consider keeping them in your backyard only if they are native to where you live.

• Communal: Individual webs very close to the same species.
• Diet & Feeding: Insects, from cicadas and crickets to really any insect that flies into their webs.
• Enclosure: Very large, 1 meters or 3 ft in diameter for web alone
• Temperature: Hot, tropical; rain forest or swamp
• Humidity: High
• Water: I always recommend keeping fresh water for all animals unless it is known to be a problem.
• Substrate: Coconut husk or animal safe wood chips should be fine, they do not really have any reason to be on the ground, so this not too important.
• Decor: Sticks, large branches, trees

Breeding

Pending

Health

Pending

How To Acquire

Find them or purchase online. They are very common, you maybe able to find them near where you live if you live in the Americas.

Price: $60 maybe

Taxonomy

The Following is the List of Accepted Species of the Genus Argiope:

1. Argiope abramovi
2. Argiope aemula
3. Argiope aemula nigripes
4. Argiope aetherea
5. Argiope aetheroides
6. Argiope ahngeri
7. Argiope amoena
8. Argiope anasuja
9. Argiope anasuja fletcheri
10. Argiope anomalopalpis
11. Argiope appensa
12. Argiope arcuata
13. Argiope argentata
14. Argiope argentata nigra
15. Argiope aurantia
16. Argiope aurocincta
17. Argiope australis
18. Argiope bivittigera
19. Argiope blanda
20. Argiope boesenbergi
21. Argiope boetonica
22. Argiope bougainvilla
23. Argiope browni
24. Argiope bruennichi
25. Argiope bruennichi afr
26. Argiope bruennichi nigrofasciata
27. Argiope bruennichi orientalis
28. Argiope brunnescentia
29. Argiope buehleri
30. Argiope bullocki
31. Argiope butchko
32. Argiope caesarea
33. Argiope caledonia
34. Argiope cameloides
35. Argiope carinata
36. Argiope carvalhoi
37. Argiope catenulata
38. Argiope celebesiana
39. Argiope chloreides
40. Argiope chloreis
41. Argiope clathrata
42. Argiope comorica
43. Argiope concinna
44. Argiope coquereli
45. Argiope dang
46. Argiope davidi
47. Argiope dietrichae
48. Argiope doboensis
49. Argiope doleschalli
50. Argiope dubiosa
51. Argiope elegans
52. Argiope ericae
53. Argiope flavipalpis
54. Argiope florida
55. Argiope halmaherensis
56. Argiope haynesi
57. Argiope hinderlichi
58. Argiope hirta
59. Argiope hoiseni
60. Argiope indistincta
61. Argiope intricata
62. Argiope jinghongensis
63. Argiope kaingang
64. Argiope kalimpongensis
65. Argiope katherina
66. Argiope keyserlingi
67. Argiope kochi
68. Argiope legionis
69. Argiope leopardina
70. Argiope leopardina clavifemur
71. Argiope levii
72. Argiope lihirica
73. Argiope lobata
74. Argiope luzona
75. Argiope macrochoera
76. Argiope madang
77. Argiope magnifica
78. Argiope manila
79. Argiope mascordi
80. Argiope minuta
81. Argiope modesta
82. Argiope niasensis
83. Argiope ocula
84. Argiope ocyaloides
85. Argiope pentagona
86. Argiope perforata
87. Argiope picta
88. Argiope pictula
89. Argiope ponape
90. Argiope possoica
91. Argiope probata
92. Argiope protensa
93. Argiope pulchella
94. Argiope pulchelloides
95. Argiope pumila
96. Argiope radon
97. Argiope ranomafanensis
98. Argiope reinwardti
99. Argiope reinwardti sumatrana
100. Argiope sapoa
101. Argiope sector
102. Argiope squallica
103. Argiope submaronica
104. Argiope takum
105. Argiope tapinolobata
106. Argiope taprobanica
107. Argiope trifasciata
108. Argiope trifasciata
109. Argiope trifasciata kauaiensis
110. Argiope truk
111. Argiope versicolor
112. Argiope vietnamensis

***This list is subject to change***

Work Cited & Further Reading

1. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/89292313/89292873
2. https://animaldiversity.org/site/accounts/information/Argiope_aurantia.html
3. https://wsc.nmbe.ch/species/3313

Gallery