Argiope Aurantia: Wanna fight? It’s mine!

Since late spring I have had the good fortune to observe three yellow garden spiders living here.

All three – females – hang on their webs upside down, and outside; but each does this against window glass in separate locations. It’s interesting to see they all selected a similar spot to take up residence.

I’ve named them Spider Uno, Spider Dos and – unimaginatively – Spider Tres.

Since I have so much material, both researched and observed first-hand, this article will serve as the first of a series.

Spiders Uno and Dos are so different in how they interact with me I can only pass along what my daughter Hannah says: every living thing has a soul.

They are truly amazing creatures.

I happened to see Dos’ catch from inside and can attest that a forty meter dash Olympic champion has nothing on her: the second the differential grasshopper wobbled her web she was on it. Her next action was to use all eight legs to roll a few tight strands around the unlucky chap.

Then a fraction of a second after seeing me arrive outside she dropped the stunned grasshopper on a tethered single strand, leaving it to twist slowly in the wind, as the picture shows.

From her superior height she glared malevolently down at me: I disturbed her making a fresh wrap for lunch.

Excuse me; it’s only my house.

[I really don’t take it personally since her eyesight is poor. If it was good I would dress better for the occasion. Maybe that would soften Aurantia’s demeanor.]

That was enough for starters.

The catch was subdued but still struggling. She couldn’t finish the pre-lunch cocooning because I showed up and she ran for it.

Hey, Dos, I get your frustration. I am hungry all the time too.

Empathetically I walked out of sight to see what she would do next without me staring at her and sticking a camera lens only a few feet from her face.

She descended back down to the grasshopper. When she did – peek a boo – I returned.

Slowly she put a couple of her spindly but talented legs around him, stared down at me and as much as said, “So what are ya gonna do now? He’s all mine.”

Well, to tell you the truth, I just finished my lunch.

No competition here.

Bon appetite.

[To be continued…….)