https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argiope_aurantiaI was trimming some vines down around my house today and encountered likely the largest spider I've ever seen in the wild (I live in Missouri, we don't typically have tarantulas). Known as the Black and Yellow Garden Spider (pretty creative name), the one I found, including the legs, was about 3-4 inches long (I used a tape measure, inaccurately). It was sitting in the middle of a textbook perfect orb web with little squiggles (stabilimentum) in it:
with a dense zigzag of silk, known as a stabilimentum, in the center. The purpose of the stabilimentum is disputed. It is possible that it acts as camouflage for the spider lurking in the web's center, but it may also attract insect prey, or even warn birds of the presence of the otherwise difficult-to-see web. Only those spiders that are active during the day construct stabilimenta in their webs
Because I was so genuinely curious and wanted to look closer, I kind of wanted to catch it to see it closer, so I went in my garage to get a box. However, as I approached the spider, it started freaking out and shaking its web back and forth at me. Not wanting to hurt the spider or mess up its web trying to catch it while moving, I decided to leave it alone.
The yellow garden spider can oscillate her web vigorously while she remains firmly attached in the center.[7] This action might prevent predators like wasps and birds from drawing a good bead, and also to fully entangle an insect before it cuts itself loose
Apparently the spider also eats its web at night and makes a new one the next day, so I'm going to check up on that.
