THE ANIMAL FILES

Wasp spider

Argiope bruennichi

The stripes resemble a wasp; the prey-catching machine is silk.

The wasp spider is an orb-weaver with yellow, white and black abdominal markings. Adult females are much larger than males, and their low webs stretch between stems in grassy vegetation.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
Wasp spider
Image: Charles J. Sharp · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Web
Spiral orb web[1]
Decoration
A central zigzag stabilimentum[1]
Sex difference
Adult females are much larger[1]

A trap near the grass

The spider places an orb web above ground among tall grasses. Insects intercepted by silk become prey, which the spider immobilises by wrapping. The web extends the animal’s reach beyond its own legs.[1]

The zigzag is still a question

A conspicuous zigzag band occurs near the web’s centre. Its function remains unresolved. Studies reporting less bird damage to decorated webs provide evidence relevant to visibility, without settling every proposed function.[1]

Two very different adult sizes

Small males approach webs occupied by much larger females. Mating can involve sexual cannibalism, and timing relative to a female’s final moult has been studied. Such observations concern a particular reproductive context, not ordinary prey wrapping.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Has the zigzag’s purpose been completely settled?

No. Observations support particular hypotheses, but its function remains debated.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

Why compare decorated and undecorated webs?

Reveal the explanation

A difference in damage or prey capture could help test a proposed function while keeping the claim tied to measured outcomes.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — Wasp spider (fixed revision; adapted and translated)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Argiope bruennichi (identity and classification)

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

Southern black widowA tangled web is organised around catching and wrapping.Latrodectus mactans ↗Mediterranean black widowThirteen spots are a clue, not a complete identification.Latrodectus tredecimguttatus ↗Northern golden orb weaverThe large spider and the tiny one on a web can be female and male of the same species.Nephila pilipes ↗