THE INSECTLIBRARY FIELD GUIDES
Garden SpiderIdentification, facts & practical guidance
Garden spider can describe many outdoor spiders. This guide focuses on the North American yellow garden spider, Argiope aurantia.
Compiled by the InsectLibrary Team · Updated · Editorial policy
Identification and lookalikes
Adult females have striking yellow and black abdominal markings and build a large orb web. A conspicuous zigzag band of silk often runs through the center. Males and young spiders do not look identical to large adult females.
Where to look
Look among tall plants, garden edges and other places with supports for a web. The spider catches insects that encounter its silk; a web near flowers does not mean the spider feeds on plants.
What to do next
Photograph it in the web without touching it. If your garden spider looks different, use the broader orb-weaver guide rather than assigning this species from the common name alone.
Garden Spider: species profile
Explore the species profile covered by this guide, with recorded names and available photos.
Sources and further reading
- mdc.mo.gov - itsy bitsy garden spiderhttps://mdc.mo.gov/blogs/discover-nature-notes/itsy-bitsy-garden-spider
References support the subject discussed here; they do not certify every imported directory record. Regional sources describe their own locations. Read our source and correction policy.