Mammoth bee-looking-spider
November 16, 2009
We stepped out of our house here in Pasadena, CA to go for a walk. In front of my neighbor’s house, we saw an insect moving on the sidewalk like Addams Family’s “The Thing.” You can hear it walking on the cement. I assumed that it might move fast when we had got closer. Instead, it moved slow, and when we had gotten closer and it stood still. It didn’t raise it’s legs in defense like some bugs. The head was golden yellow, the body yellow/brown, and the end was striped yellow and brown. We left it alone, came back, and it was ran over (probably by a bike). My lady said there was four legs; I thought it was three because it looked like a bee, but it didn’t have wings. Every body part was thick, like it was taking steroids. I left it at night, came back in the morning, and it was gone. I need your help. I’ve not seen anything this big since Mexico. I’m having a baby soon and would like to know what’s crawling around my neighborhood. Any help would be awesome. I drew four legs, but it might be three legs.
Andres Dorame
Pasadena, CA 91106

Sketch of Golden Orbweaver, we believe

Dear Andres,
Though your sketch is lovely, it makes it difficult to be certain of an identification.  We are guessing you encountered a Golden Orbweaver, Argiope aurantia, a harmless spider that builds a circular web in the garden.  The spiders are quite helpless if knocked out of the web, and they will not leave their webs to hunt, preferring instead to snare flying insects that become trapped.  Golden Orbweavers pose no threat to humans, despite the large size.

suggestion
November 10, 2009
I’m wondering if any of the other WTB addicts out there would agree with the idea that it would be cool to eliminate the bug’s name from the title of each submission, so that we can test our knowledge when we see the pic? Obviously it would be left in the body of your response.
Here’s a spider pic (because apparently I can’t submit a Q without one & because I’m not sure if this is a marbled orb weaver- it looks different than the one in my book).
Vince
Northern Indiana

Marbled Orbweaver

Hi Vince,
Your suggestion does bring up some possibilities in our minds, most significantly the thought of pitching a game show to the animal planet.  Amateurs that we are, we do post a significant number of unidentified images and we rely heavily upon our readership to supply us with answers.   We are happy you needed to attach a photo as this is a color variation of the Marbled Orbweaver, Araneus marmoreus, that we do not often see.  It is well represented on BugGuide.

What Spider is this
October 27, 2009
This spider eated his mate.
mr
Costa Mesa, CA

Orbweavers Mating

Dear mr,
We are uncertain what species of Orbweaver you have sent our way.  We couldn’t even say for sure if this is an Araneus.  Perhaps one of our readers can tell.  Your photos are amazing.  It isn’t unusual for female spiders to eat their mates.

Orbweaver eats her Mate

Is it a Spider or a Beetle?
October 13, 2009
About 2cm long, less than 1cm at the widest part
KC
Salem Ohio

Arrowshaped Micrathena

Hi KC,
This is a spider known as the Arrowshaped Micrathena, Micrathena sagittata.

Spined Micrathena
October 6, 2009
Dearest Bugman,
I just wanted to share a photo of this fashionable spider I found at my friend’s grandmother’s house on 8/16/09. I’m pretty sure it’s a Spined Micrathena.
shutterbug
Celina, OH

Spined Micrathena

Hi shutterbug,
Thanks for sending us your photo of a Spined Micrathena.  We posted an image earlier today, and it is very nice to have another recent example for comparison.

Golden Orb Weaver?
September 24, 2009
I just found this beautiful spider (about three inches long including the legs)… s/he built a web in the mint in my front yard. Am I right in guessing this is a golden orb weaver?
Heather in IN
Bloomington, IN

Banded Garden Spider

Hi Heather,
Your spider is not a Golden Orbweaver, but another species in the same genus, the Banded Garden Spider.