Black and Yellow Garden Spider

This is one of the largest and most colorful orbweaving spiders from northeastern to southwestern North America. Like many orbweavers, Argiope aurantia is sexually dimorphic: females are up to 3X larger than males. The abdomen has two anterior lobes and the dorsal surface is black with large, bright yellow spots or patches. This spider is a significant predator in prairie and grassland ecosystems and is also commonly seen in urban gardens.