rss resubmitting pictures
Location: Scotrun, PA USA
January 23, 2012 10:26 am
found this bug on the outside of our door on 9/24/11. Temp was around 77 and sunny. the yellow body was about 1/2” overall.
Signature: Jean
Arrowshaped Micrathena
Hi Jean,
This pretty little spider is a harmless Arrowshaped Micrathena, Micrathena sagittata. According to BugGuide, it spins its small webs in open woods.
thank you ever so much for identifying this spider, it really is very pretty.
Golden Orb identified
Location: Spring, TX
December 18, 2011 1:44 am
Dear Mr. Bugman,
Thanks to your site and past archives, I’ve think I’ve identified my backdoor friend. I’ve got lots of pictures of her, but this is my latest AND COOLEST! I’m assuming she’s laying her eggs and wrapping them in sort of protection?? I’ll attach pictures first, but would like to know if you take video clips as well? I have her in action!
Signature: Thanks, Melanie
Golden Orbweaver Laying Eggs
Hi Melanie,
Thank you for sending us your images of a Golden Orbweaver laying her eggs. She protects the clutch in a thick silken sac that helps the eggs to withstand the elements in harsher climates. Your post will go live during a brief holiday from the office.
Golden Orbweaver laying Eggs
Cool looking Bug!
Location: Chang Mai, Thailand
December 1, 2011 5:11 am
Found this crazy bug in Chang Mai, Thailand in May this year.
Signature: Mike S
Spiny Orbweaver
Dear Mike,
Your bug is actually a Spider known as a Spiny Orbweaver. We believe we have correctly identified it as Gasteracantha arcuata on FlickRiver. There are also some nice images on the PhotoMalaysia website. It is believed that the spines discourage birds and other predators from trying to eat Spiny Orbweavers.
Unknown Silver-Black Spider from Nepal
Location: Nepal, Bandipur
December 22, 2011 12:51 pm
Could you help to identify this big spider?
May be a Silver Orb Spider ???
Found: 18. Oct. 2011, on an external, insect-trapping web.
Signature: Jürgen J. Müller
Orbweaver
Hello Jürgen,
Our research did not turn up anything conclusive. We agree that this is an Orbweaver, and it might be in the genus Argiope. Perhaps in the future, we will be able to provide a more specific identification.
St Andrew’s
Location: NSW, Australia, near the coast.
December 10, 2011 12:17 am
Hi, I noticed you only have a couple of posts about St Andrew’s cross spiders. I thought you might like this picture of one that’s living on a plant outside our house.
Thank you!
Signature: Emma
St. Andrew's Cross Spider
Dear Emma,
Thanks for sending your excellent images of a St. Andrew’s Cross Spider, Argiope keyserlingi, to flesh our our archives. The Australian Museum has a nice page on the species. The name St. Andrew’s Cross Spider refers to the X-shaped stabilimentum woven into the web by the spider. It is commonly believed that St. Andrew was crucified by the Romans on an X-shaped cross in the first century AD.
St. Andrew's Cross Spider
Wow, That’s morbidly interesting! I’m glad you liked the photos. Thank you!
Dead Garden Spider on her Egg Sac?
Location: Santa Maria, California USA
December 5, 2011 3:41 pm
Hello, I have enjoyed several days and nights watching this spider in her web and have even thrown a few bugs in the web to feed it. About 5 days ago it stopped making/repairing the web and has been in this same position day and night, is it dead? It looks like it is on top of a brown egg sac too. I don’t want to poke at it but was wondering if it is dead and if it is a garden spider?
Signature: Maggs
Orbweaver
Dear Maggs,
This is an Orbweaver in the genus Araneus, and we believe it might be Araneus gemma which BugGuide describes as: “Female: carapace and abdomen vary in color from gray to brownish purple. The abdomen has anterior paired humps and may have a medial light stripe that varies in length. She does not look dead to us, and your theory that she may be protecting her egg sac is sound.
“
Spider!
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
December 3, 2011 9:55 pm
I came home today to find this spider on my front porch. I’ve never seen one like this before. It has large fangs! Do you know what it is? It’s body is about 1 inch long. This picture does no justice for the vividness of the colors.
Signature: Lucretia in California
Banded Garden Orbweaver
Hi Lucretia,
This beautiful spider is a Banded Garden Orbweaver, Argiope trifasciata. It is considered harmless, though it is possible it might bite a person if carelessly handled, though the bite would normally just cause local soreness and swelling.
How can something be so pretty and so creepy at the same time?
Location: NSW, Australia
December 2, 2011 2:08 am
Hi! I live in NSW, Australia, neer the coast. I found this multi coloured, spikey looking spider. You can’t see too well in the photos, but it was also red underneath. I live in the bush and I’ve seen lots of spiders, but never one so pretty! Can you tell me what kind it is?
Thank you.
Signature: Emma
Two Spined Spider
Dear Emma,
We had a power outage at our offices that lasted 36 hours. This is a Two Spined Spider, Poecilopachys australasia, and you can read some good information on Spiders on the Insects of Brisbane website.
I’ve always wanted to send something in to Whats That Bug! I waited untill I found something interesting that I’d never seen before. Can’t wait to find out more on the Insects of Brisbane website. Thank you so much!!! 
I like This