Animal Kingdom

Arthropod Phylum: Spiders: The argiope spider

This is a large European spider which can be found building its web in long grass during the summer months. It is an unusual web-spinning spider because the female (shown here) is much bigger and more colourful than the male. She can grow to 15 mm long with bright yellow white and black bands on her body. The male is only 4 mm long and he has a brown body. The females often eat the males whilst they mate. The female lays her eggs in the autumn, wrapping 17 them in a protective layer of silk 18. The baby spiders hatch soon afterwards but they stay in their cocoon until winter is over.

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© Paul Billiet, Shirley Burchill, Alan Damon and Deborah James 2009