The ARGIOPE

Argiope bruennchi

This is one of our rarer, and more exotic looking spiders. It is actually a native spider of Mediterranean areas, and has only recently colonised parts of the U.K. It was first discovered in Rye in East Sussex in 1922, but has since been seen in Kent, Surrey, Hampshire, Devon and Cornwall. It builds its web close to the ground in order to catch grasshoppers and crickets, and the female can often be seen hanging upside-down in the middle of her web throughout summer and autumn. Her large abdomen features yellow, black and white stripes, and her cephalothorax is covered with silver coloured hair. The male is much smaller, and is only active for a couple of weeks in July. Like many other male spiders, he has to be careful when mating, to ensure he doesn't end up as dinner for the female.