this post was submitted on 25 Jan 2024
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Spiders

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Argiope bruennichi ♀ (Scopoli, 1772)

Aranha-vespa

Wasp Spider

Marachão, 2018

Found on flickr

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (3 children)

I got one of those living on my kumquat tree!

I apologise for the poor quality of the pictures; it was a bit too sunny, and I had to use the zoom (I didn't want to disturb the spider). I'm fairly certain that it's in the genus Argiope, just not quite sure of the species.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago

I was able to measure the spider, by taking a pic with a pen in the same plane. Rough dimensions:

  • body, length: 15mm
  • body, width: 8mm
  • backmost leg: 23mm

And due to better lighting I also managed to take a clearer picture:

Sadly the position doesn't let me take an upside view pic. I think that she wants belly rubs.

@[email protected] kindly identified it already (Argiope argentata), so I'm sharing this mostly as fluff.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Definitly Argiope. What's the geographic location?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Curitiba city. South America, Cfb climate.

The genus is known locally as "signature spiders" (aranha-assinatura), but that's basically any spider doing that anti-bird web pattern. It's yellower than the pic implies, colours look a lot like A. bruennichi, but those side "lobes" are quite different.

Behaviour-wise it's surprisingly chill. It doesn't run away like brown recluses and wolf spiders do, nor threatens you like wandering spiders (all three are native here).

The web is clearly strong enough to slightly bend one of the kumquat's branches.

I also got a pic of the spider having a meal. Perhaps the "web bedroll" around the prey might be useful for ID.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

Cool - thanks for identifying it!

I did look a few pics of A. argentata, but I didn't associate them because of the colour.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Nice! How big do you think it is?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I think that its body is around 2cm long? I'm eyeballing it, but it's quite large.

I'll give you something a more precise measurement today. If it is the A. bruennichi then it's certainly a female.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

If it is the A. bruennichi then it’s certainly a female.

You're going to have to do a post if it lays eggs.... Also is it dangerous to humans?

Really nice photos btw (and jealous that you have a kumquat tree)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

The species is actually A. argentata acc. to another poster, but still likely a female, so I'll definitively post pics if she lays eggs. (She's now Kumoko.) They aren't dangerous - acc. to some websearch they only bite if hurt, there are plenty pics of people with them on hands, and even if they do bite the venom is comparable to a bee sting*.

and jealous that you have a kumquat tree

It's a dwarf nagami variety, so a bit more like a bush:
\

*I wish that I could say the same of these:

Gaucho spiders. Native and fairly common in my homeland. Strong venom and a tendency to hide inside wardrobes, their only saving grace is to be more scared of humans than we are of them.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

It’s a dwarf nagami variety, so a bit more like a bush

Don't be so modest, I bet it's really lovely (your new spider seems to agree), and tasty (assuming the fruits are edible)

.... a tendency to hide inside wardrobes

Lol