July 25th, 2006
what’s on the flip side?
This was actually meant to be a somewhat cheerful post — at least, that was the plan while I was out photographing this pair of Argiope aurantia spiders late this afternoon. As you can probably see from the pair of photos that I’ve patched together, these spiders are resting on opposite sides of an unusually thick stabilimentum. The female is the large one on the left, and the male is the little guy on the right (click on image to see larger view). I was most impressed as I usually find the males sitting up in the corner of the female’s web, or in a little orb located nearby. I thought this was rather an interesting arrangement — sort of like the flip side on an old 45 record.
So, yes, I was looking forward to downloading my photos and writing a post about how nice it is to see the return of the Argiope spiders to the garden. There are at least seven moderate-sized females that are building webs in Spider Ranch (the large part of the garden that we set aside for the Argiope spiders). I’m actually surprised to find so many of this size already — their abdomens are about 3/4 of an inch long — as most years, I doubt they are near this size for at least two or three more weeks into the summer. Anyhow, yes, as I said, I was looking forward to writing about the spiders.
Then…. I stopped to check on all of the females after doing an insect walk around the farm. There in one of the webs, wrapped in silk, was almost without a doubt, the same beautiful Hummingbird Moth that I’d seen hovering and drinking nectar from thistle flowers a little earlier in the day (I’ll spare you the sight). It’s difficult to blame a spider for doing what comes naturally, but I can’t help but feel mad as hell at the lot of them tonight. However, in spite of this, I decided to post the “flip side” photo as it’s still of interest.
By the way, late this afternoon, I decided to bring a Monarch caterpillar indoors to raise in a container. I found it on a Milkweed leaf in almost the exact spot where I found a little caterpillar last summer. As you might recall if you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, I wrote a piece about that incident, and how I contemplated bringing that caterpillar indoors, finally deciding to leave it on the leaf and continue photographing it each day. A few days later, I found it dead, killed by a predatory stinkbug that I found feeding upon it. I suppose the sight of the dead Hummingbird Moth in the web may have influenced my decision to bring the caterpillar indoors this time. I don’t usually intervene in the lives of insects, but in this case, I’ve decided to make an exception.
Tags: Argiope Aurantia, Monarch caterpillar, Hummingbird Moth
July 25th, 2006 at 1:09 am
I love seeing the Argiopes, which I always called “garden spiders”, until I knew better. There are smallish ones right now, sitting in their perfect stabilimenta, but they’ll get bigger. And they’ll vibrate their web in the most cunning way if they get disturbed.
I think I’ve spotted tiny orb weavers today, which won’t actually be prominent until fall. Then, huge and fat, they’ll weave their webs across paths and open spaces, sometimes 30 feet up in the air, and sometime (here) in November or December, they’ll die.
July 25th, 2006 at 5:53 am
At least the monarch larva will be a nice project. I’ve been meaning to do some larva raising on my own, but never got around. Still need to study it more.
July 25th, 2006 at 11:45 am
Wayne – Do you think the Argiope may be smaller than usual for this time of the year? I’m wondering if the drought has delayed their development by restricting the amount of food? I’d say the spiders in my garden are way ahead in growth this year. I’ve been finding huge grasshoppers in their webs, which would normally be more of a late August thing. Everything seems sort of off-kilter around here this year — about 2 or 3 weeks ahead of normal. At the same time, the vegetation seems so green and there are still flower clusters on some of the milkweed, while at the same time, many plants have good-sized pods. It’s all a little odd. Btw, so far, I haven’t seen much evidence of the usual orbweaver in the garden. I’ve found a few triplines fastened to timothy heads, but haven’t found the spiders. We saw quite a few Lichen Orbweavers while in Nova Scotia though. The spider activity (other than the Argiopes) should start to become conspicuous around here quite soon.
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romunov – I’d been thinking of keeping a monarch larva sometime just to record its growth rate as it’s quite difficult to follow that on one left outdoors. It’s not so much that you can’t find them each day, but that almost inevitably, something comes along and eats them. Sometimes makes me wonder how there are even any butterflies!
July 25th, 2006 at 4:16 pm
This is one of those odd serendipitous things. My wife and I saw what I now know was a hummingbird moth last weekend. At first I thought it was actually a hummingbird, but then realized it was an insect, and one that I had never seen before. I was wondering how I would find out what it was, and then I read your post. Of course! It had to be a hummingbird moth. I googled it and, sure enough, that’s what we saw. You must be psychic! (Or, “physic”, as Paul Newman said in “Harper”.)
July 25th, 2006 at 6:43 pm
It is sad about your moth being caught. I had two get taken by crab spiders this year and it was the only two that came to my flowers. Neat spider photos.
July 25th, 2006 at 8:36 pm
Mark – It’s funny how often that happens to me too. I’ll be trying to figure out the ID for something, and just flip open a book and find it, or see it on a website somewhere. Then again, maybe I *am* psychic and these things “turn up” just because I want them to! (-:
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Jimmy – Isn’t that so disappointing? However, spiders have to eat — but too bad they get lucky with an insect as fascinating as those moths!
July 26th, 2006 at 12:48 am
Great photo of the couple–I think I may have seen a male last year without knowing it. I have yet to find an Argiope in the garden this year–must start paying closer attention. It is sad about the moth, but actually a pretty impressive catch on the spider’s part.
July 26th, 2006 at 1:32 am
Pamela – Thanks! I think this is a good time to look for Argiope. As mentioned, I find them a bit earlier than normal, but I suppose there must be a good reason for it. The males are usually very inconspicuous and not so bold as this one seems to be.
July 26th, 2006 at 10:31 am
Bev – my first encounter this season with an Argiope was last week, and it was much smaller than it should be at this time. Odd, since it shouldn’t have been delayed from hatching, but perhaps rather from growing due to our drought.
So we’re observing similar things, but for different reasons. I’d say our Argiopes are hatching at the right time, but for you their prey is abnormally advanced. For us, the conditions have been very poor for their prey, and they’re stunted. In both cases we see spiders relatively small compared to their prey.
July 26th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
Great pictures as always!
The Argiope spiders are a great mystery to us around here. When we first moved to our house eight years ago, Argiope were everywhere around the property. My wife who absolutely hates grasshoppers enjoyed feeding the Argiope every evening some of her nemisis.
Along Box Rd. which is one mile north of us along a steel pipe fence almost every section had an Argiope web.
That was eight years ago. Then they all disappeared. Last year was the first year we had an Argiope on our property. One spider only! Along Box Rd., the fence has not had any webs for the last seven years.
Why? We haven’t the faintest idea nor do the “experts” I’ve asked. They talk of fluctuations. Well, maybe so, but this seems a little extreme.
Anyway, again, great pictures and good information.
Phil Floyd
Edge of the Earth Rd.
Lexington, OK.
July 26th, 2006 at 1:26 pm
Phil – that’s interesting about the population change. Have there been any changes as far as rainfall in recent years? I’ve been told by an entomologist at Agriculture Canada, that Argiope prefer places where the ground is a little damp. That jives with where the Argiope here are hanging out in the greatest numbers. We have a section of the yard that slopes down into a little gully, and it’s there that we get large numbers of Argiope in vegetation which we leave quite long. One thing we’ve learned from having them here over many years is that they like undisturbed vegetation. I leave everything alone from year to year so that the egg cases aren’t distrubed at the end of the season and into spring. I think they need the protection of the vegetation to survive our winters here in Ontario. Anyhow, interesting to hear of other people’s observations and experiences!