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Some South Korean spider
WhatsThatBug guys and gals, here’s one for you.
I found this beauty while climbing cliffs near Monseongri, Yeosu, South Korea. In fact, I spotted three of these — I dodged two of them and kicked a third off my pants. I’ve not seen this particular kind of spider before, and though I’ve climbed many rocks and traveled to many beaches across the US and South Korea, I’ve never seen this spider outside of that one beach (but it’s been there every time I’ve been). This photo was taken last weekend, so obviously this bug isn’t too perturbed by the chilly weather. I thought it might be an orb weaver, but the red throws me off a little bit. Also, though it’s rather hard to see, the yellow and red sections are outlined in green. This spider has the most fascinating colors I’ve ever seen on a bug! This one was about 6cm from leg to leg. In any case, it sure is pretty (but I couldn’t get any of my female climbing partners to appreciate it as much as I did)! Is this an orb weaver or am I missing the ball?
Best,
Brandon

Hi Brandon,
We have no idea what species this is and have never seen a spider quite like it before, but it is most assuredly an Orb Weaver. We believe it is an Argiope species.

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