SPOTTERON Citizen Science

Wasp spider

Know more?

The Wasp spider is a South-European species that has greatly expanded her range towards the north. The zigzag threads can have different functions: they can act to camouflage the spider, to attract prey and to alert birds so that they wouldn’t fly through the web and destroy it.

Latin name: Argiope bruennichi
German name: Wespenspinne

Web: Large orb web, often with threads in zigzag pattern (stabilimentum) originating from the centre going up and down.

Habitat: Often in grassland, with the web constructed low. Main diet are grasshoppers! 

How to recognize:

  • white-yellow-black bands on the abdomen (hence the name), males have a more brown colour and are much smaller.
  • big spider, often in the web during the day
  • threads in zigzag pattern (stabilimentum) in web
  • typical lightbrown to brown egg sac, with vertical black stripes.

Looks similar to:

  • because of the unique colouration, this species is hard to confuse with other spiders.

Size:

♀: 11-20 mm

♂: 4-4,5 mm

When?

♀: July till September/October

♂: June till August