Subject: Beautiful and unusual spider in Newport Beach
Location: Newport Beach, So. Cal.
March 4, 2013 12:11 pm
I spotted this beautiful and unusual spider is an upscale Newport Beach neighborhood an I would like to know what it is.
Signature: Eric A. Gehlke
Dear Eric,
This lovely Silver Argiope, Argiope argentata, is not an uncommon Southern California species, though it ranges much farther including Texas, Florida and south into Mexico and Central America. The Silver Argiope belongs to the genus commonly called Writing Spiders because of the intricate patterns known as stabilimenta woven into the webs. Large specimens might bite, but Writing Spiders including the Silver Argiope are considered harmless. They are also known as Garden Spiders.