@lislee75 I usually do a google search to find out. Apparently, in the US, we don't call them St. Andrew's Cross spiders. I usually call them that but they are also known as writing spiders or black and yellow garden spider.
@jennarichards I went through wikipedia too and it had all the different genus, which was neat to see how many different kinds there are. I like the little zig zags in their web too. Thanks for the help!
@lislee75 She is really big! I was really afraid of her at first, but I read about them and also aproached with caution and discovered that they won't move unless you are a bug caught in their web. So you can move in pretty close, if you try again, though your photo is already really great (I am obsessed with macro...LOL)
@5unflow3r I was using my iPhone, I found it while out on a jog on a route I don't normally take so I probably won't see it again. But I was really surprised it did not move, because I had my iPhone really close, only a couple of inches away. I even blew air on the web to see if it would move and a leg twitched a little but it stayed still otherwise. They are really cool looking! Your picture is awesome!
@lislee75 Unless someone bothered it, it's probably still there...Mine has been in the same place for some time now. I would totally have to go and look..LOL They rebuild the zig-zag everynight and keep the same web. I first found her on Aug 3 and she's still there. ;-) Though of course a mailbox gets disturbed more than some lavender plants in a private garden...
i see folks have already answered, but i'll chip in as well.
these spiders are commonly referred to as 'banana spiders' or 'writing spiders' (because of the zig zag they make in their web) (officially - Argiope aurantia). the one you have in your photo is a female (the males are much smaller/scrawnier).
their venom is similar to that of a black widow's, but not nearly as potent, so if you ever got bit, it would just hurt mostly.
they're pretty stationary, and only leave their spot if their web is disturbed.
when i worked at an observatory for a few years, we had lots of various spiders and i got fairly decent at identifying the type of web with the spider (of the orb-weaving variety, at least).
the 1st one we found of these out there we named 'georgia' and would feed her grasshoppers each evening. she was there for a couple weeks or so, until facilities finally came and cut the grass. we were kind of sad to see her go.
Kentucky is full of those. We do call them garden spiders. They like to build across shallow ditches in high weeds. That's an awesome photo. I wish I could find some of those garden spiders to photograph. We used to have a vacant lot next our house where garden spiders dwelled. I didn't have my nice digital camera then so my photos weren't up to par. Guess I'll start checking the ditches.
We just call them garden spiders in Alabama. It's so weird. I took a photo of a spider today, and I also don't know what kind it is. I haven't uploaded it yet though, so I'll have to wait to ask.
I submit all my unknown bugs, spiders, butterflies and dragonflies to www.BugGuide.net if I want to have them identified. They are very quick to reply and will sometimes ask if they can use your photo as the main indentification photo for that particular bug, if it shows lots of details. It's a very helpful site!
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They make really cool looking webs.
http://365project.org/5unflow3r/andere-zeug/2011-08-04
IPhones take such great photos
these spiders are commonly referred to as 'banana spiders' or 'writing spiders' (because of the zig zag they make in their web) (officially - Argiope aurantia). the one you have in your photo is a female (the males are much smaller/scrawnier).
their venom is similar to that of a black widow's, but not nearly as potent, so if you ever got bit, it would just hurt mostly.
they're pretty stationary, and only leave their spot if their web is disturbed.
when i worked at an observatory for a few years, we had lots of various spiders and i got fairly decent at identifying the type of web with the spider (of the orb-weaving variety, at least).
the 1st one we found of these out there we named 'georgia' and would feed her grasshoppers each evening. she was there for a couple weeks or so, until facilities finally came and cut the grass. we were kind of sad to see her go.
I took this a few days ago... you are braver than I am, I couldn't bring myself to get closer