This very well known spider is also known under the name 'garden spider'. I took this photo in Australia, while we were climbing to some rocks to see rock paintings.This one is called : Argiope ocyaloides.
There are 25 known species in this genus but the most beautiful and spotted one is the Argiope Keyserlingi ( formerly aethera) or 'St Andrew's cross spider'
The spiders of this family are easily identified by the zig zag silk construction (stabilimentum), usually a cross, they make in their web.
It is believed that the spider uses it to camouflage itself in the cross and to warn birds not to fly through the web.
But there are also other hypotheses.
Perhaps the most important function of stabilimenta is to attract insects. The silk of the stabilimentum reflects UV light and pollinating insects are lured to these threads.
If the spider is attacked it starts shaking vigorously in her web. The whole web becomes white because of the stabilimentum. This frightens off attackers.
The web is usually constructed a few decimeters above the ground in tall grass and among shrubs.
The spider on this photo however had made its web on a rock, but you can see the zigzag construction of the web around him. For more information and pictures of these spiders go Here
Thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who has hosted this ABC game for the third round to the letter X for ABC Wednesday. For more ABC posts click on ABC picture in my side bar.Join us in this wonderful meme!
35 comments:
Brilliant posting!!!
Happy New Year....
Getting so much relevant information from an X is very well done!
Wow! that is incredible! Thanks for sharing and posting a comment to my blog as well!
I love that photo. Happy new year:)
An excellent and informative post. Many thanks.
Totally fascinating. I love learning so many different things from blogging. Thanks for all the information.
Wow. I learned so much. Like I do every.single.week : ). You are so filled with knowledge. I like learning new things when I come here. I can't wait to show this to Kaishon. He will be fascinated!
Xtraordinary!
Looks fearsome in the picture, let alone in the wild.
What an amazing Spider! And from here, too! I'd never heard of it. It reminds me of a snowflake.
I had a very cool garden spider that lived in our yard this summer. Wonder if it was one of the 25 varieties.
Interesting post.
What a wonderful glimpse into another facet of nature! Your photo illustrates the attributes of this spider very well. A truly unusual X!
Creepy, informative and entertaining all in one post.
Wow! Very interesting! Happy New Year!
WOW! What an awesome spider and web. Nice capture.
Happy New Year!
These spiders are so fascinating! Are they the same as orb spiders? To see the intricate webs they fashion is amazing. Great post!
I'm not too keen on spiders, but your post was very informative. Now I've learnt something new.
Very interesting reading; a great post.
A beautiful web. It's incredible to watch a spider making a web. Like magic.
Happy New Year!
New Year always bring us special pleasure.
Let all your greatest wishes come true.
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009, Patricija
Hi!
Great Photo!! Although I don't like spiders! Have a great New Year!!
Sherrie
Interesting story about this spider, Wil. I have a number of spiders here and different kinds from the Garden Spiders to the deadly Wolf Spider. They provide a valuable service to mankind and to many other animals.
I did photograph one spider one summer. I gave her a human name, "Maude," and would talk to her just like she was an old lady living down the street. She stayed in the door corner and spun her web from there. I almost always had to duck under the web and would tell her to move the bottom up higher so I didn't have to stoop each time I went into the storage shed.
And, to my utter surprise she moved it up and out of my way.
All of the things you read that I left on Michelle's blog are my wishes again.
Xtraordinary shot!
Thank for your kind and interesting comments on my blog_(and eXcuse my numerous mistakes !)
I din't know that Napoleon wars changed the pronounciation of Dutch words .
In fact,sometimes we pronounce X CS), sometimes (Gz), sometimes (Ss) or (Z)
We met many Dutch people during our Holidays , in campsites of Périgord, for example-In France-they are very talented to speak foreign languages, espeially English and French .I think it's because of your way of teaching languages at school .
I wish you an eXcellent new year !
That is fascinating and a new creature for me - what a lot we are learning today.
Very interesting, but not as appealing as the oliebollen in your previous post (as part of the calorie controlled diet, of course).
Best wishes for 2009!
How very fabulous that you were able to see this on your hike in Australia!! What a great specimen for the letter X :0)
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!!
“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.”
Thank you for your visit and comments!
Gisela
Me again !
Very interesting! Could you give me some eXamples ?(As a teacher of French, I 'm interested by the "story "of words , I like to read dictionaries ))
Good capture. Uggh. Don't like spiders.
How very interesting and informative.
Happy New Year.
Bear((( )))
Thank you very much !
About "mannequin"it's very funny,because, according to Albert Dauzat, a famous author of a Dictionary, ," mannequin "appeared in 1467, and came from ...néerlandais," mannekijn", diminutif de "man", "homme" !
Many of the other (french)words come from Latin language, of course (statio, station, moda, mode...)
Indeed a very curious spider!
HAPPY NEWS YEAR
MAY THE GOD BLESS YOU FOR THE HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS YOU WISH
[CLICK BELOW FOR THE CARD]
http://www.images.dgreetings.com/newimages/newyear/2005/new-year-floral1.jpg
most bizarre spider, happy 2009!
It's a pleasure to read you!
I your text, I can recognize:
incident, région, confrontation, politique(?)
?
I don't know german language , only English, et les langues romanes ...
hi ...spotted that you subscribed to the Hyde Daily post uk :0)As I live in Gee Cross Hyde just thought I'd say hi....and thanks for your great blog. The pictures are inspiring and warming :0)
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