At the time of photographing this spider at Bitter Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia I was told it was a Saint Andrew's Cross Spider Argiope keyserlingi. That would make it a relative of the Wasp Spider A. bruennichi that I get in the orchard here in France.
I'd appreciate it if any reader can confirm its identity. I'm not totally convinced it's not a Golden Silk Orb-weaver Nephila edulis or something similar. The red palps, black abdomen tip and otherwise lack of obvious pattern on the abdomen have me puzzled.
3 comments:
Ugly lookin' brute isn't she...
presume it is a she!
Looked for images of the Goldie...
it does look similar... very similar...
but there were quite a few Argie-bargies that came up as well...
including one very easily identified Argie-bargie Bruno!
And, on the subject of A. bruennichi....
kidnapping those few females from your verger has worked...
I spotted my first ones this very evening as I was having a walk around...
six in total...
and they are where I released your Argie-bargie ladies.
So we have Argiope bruennichi back in the meadow...
first time since the big freeze.
If you are happy with it, I'll repeat the excersise this year and release them up by the lake.
BTW: Faune Touraine now has a Butterfly reporting section....
'tis growing slowly.
Good to hear the wasp spiders have taken. You are welcome to kidnap some more if you want. I haven't seen any yet in the orchard this year, but they won't be long in appearing.
"the wasp spiders have taken"....
I just let them go...
it would have been rather cruel to plant them...L.O.L.
Acted as a GDA [Glow-worm Dating Agency] last night...
I'd "potted" a male in the morning, to photograph later, then release...
but due to inherent, or sun-induced, laziness... hadn't got a round tuit.
Pauline spotted a glowing female just outside the backdoor as she went to bed the chooks...
I picked the glow-wormess up to show our current Workawayers...
and then remembered the male... so I introduced her to him...
and a few minutes later they were at it like...
well, glow-worms!!
They will be released in a little while in the front garden...
haven't seen any there yet this year....
the roofing work may have done for them!
Tim
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