The Local Writing Spider
September 22, 2021
You may have noticed that recently, many spiders have been out and about pitching up webs and doing spider stuff & things. One common spider that has been around lately is the writing spider. The writing spider is a pretty monstrous arachnid, at least in terms of the upstate (lookin’ at you, Goliath Birdeater), with a maximum body size of around 1.2 inches! The spider has many nicknames, including Corn Spider, Yellow Garden Spider, Black and Yellow Spider, and Zigzag spider, but its scientific name is Argiope aurantia.
Some of its nicknames come from the fact that its body consists of the colors black and yellow. These two colors can create some mesmerizing patterns on the spider. one plus of the bright yellow color that adorns the writing spider is that it is easy to see; In addition to this, the spider’s size makes this spider an easy one to find and observe out in the wild!
The “writing” in writing spider comes from the spider’s web. The Writing Spider “writes” a bold zigzag pattern in the middle of its web, the spot where the spider spends the majority of its time. The zigzag design called the Stabilimentum is used to attract prey and to get the attention of birds who might have otherwise flown through the web. The Writing Spider usually pitches its web near gardens and bushes. During this time of year, it is typically pretty easy to find at least one hanging out near the sides of houses.
Although these spiders are large and can be intimidating at first sight, do not be so fast to take down their web or destroy them! Writing Spiders take care of many different common pests, including wasps and mosquitoes, making them very useful to have around the house. There is no need to worry about a bite from one either. Writing Spiders are not very aggressive and won’t bite unless seriously disturbed (in other words, keep your distance!).
So, all in all, Writing Spiders are some pretty unique spiders! They are interesting to observe, and searching for them won’t take much time since they usually reside around houses. Go out and say hello to a Writing Spider near you!
