Argiope aurantia

[hibbing]

This bad girl was on my garage door when I got home this evening. About a half-dollar sized. Apparently pretty common, but I thought she was a beauty and had never seen one.

Peace

[Adsos Letter]

1. I don't care WHAT it's called...

...just keep it away from me.

[True Dough]

2. I just Googled that mofo!

Apparently they're considered "good' spiders because they prey on insect that damage crops, like grasshoppers. But they can bite if disturbed. However, their venom is not harmful to humans. Well, that's very reassuring.

Be sure to pet your local yellow garden spider today!

[Kali]

3. cool!

we had two tarantulas in the house last night. spiders don't bother me at all, I hate to even clean their dusty webs out of the windows.

[femmocrat]

4. What a beauty!

Black and gold -- could be a Steelers Spider!

[Laffy Kat]

5. Yes, I suppose they are beautiful in their own way.

But why do they have to look so sinister?

[LWolf]

6. Beautiful.

I've never seen one before.

[JamieJohnson]

7. Wow

Wow, that yellow is a great do-not-touch-me sign. Beautiful.

[Fla Dem]

8. Is she dead?

[hibbing]

9. Nope..

I try never to kill spiders, she acted like she was dead when I tried to get her to move. I eventually got her in a bucket and let her out by a tree.

Peace

[yewberry]

10. Good old garden spider!

Used to find them on the tomato plants in the garden every summer when I was a kid. Thanks for the memory!