General Description

Carapace (the hard shell-like covering over the front part of the spider) silver-white, abdomen oval and pointed towards the rear. Female abdomen shimmery white and yellow with darker horizontal lines, long legs banded black and brown. Male abdomen shimmery white with gold highlights, legs unbanded light brown or yellow. Body length: female 10-26 mm, male 4-6 mm.

Biology

The Banded Garden Spider spins a large orb web close to the ground. The web may have a loose diagonal cross of zigzag white silk. The spider sits in the centre of the web with her head down and her legs in four pairs. The web is usually eaten and rebuilt every day. The brown egg sacs are shaped like kettledrums (rounded on one side, flat on the other) and are suspended in vegetation near the edge of the web.

Distribution

Cosmopolitan - found throughout most countries.

Habitat

Open woodland, grassland.

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