Wasp Spider

[snake]

Now the hay is cut I have been finding a few of these beautiful spiders in the long grass at the edge of the fields.
They have an interesting zigzag pattern woven into the web. Does anyone know what this is used for?
I thought to act as a spring in strengthening the web maybe.




The web must be pretty strong to hold a Darter.

[faz]

wow never seen that spider before what a beauty

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by snake

Now the hay is cut I have been finding a few of these beautiful spiders in the long grass at the edge of the fields.
They have an interesting zigzag pattern woven into the web. Does anyone know what this is used for?
I thought to act as a spring in strengthening the web maybe.




The web must be pretty strong to hold a Darter.

There's a few theories for the stabilimentum (the fancy name for the zig-zag), but I don't think any conclusively proved from adding strength to disruptive camouflage ( not convinced by this).

Saw several yesterday near Benfleet- my first of the year + then one today locally near the local golf course. One of my favourite spiders.

[babybottle]

I've never seen one of these either. It looks huge how big was it?

[Ukwildlifeo]

Just found this thread. Ive seen them take wasps and sizable grasshoppers but not a dragonfly before! Their webs are definately stronger than a garden spiders web!

[Robert S J Smith]

The Wasp Spider is on my must see list I think they look stunning.

To my knowledge they are quite rare in Norfolk but I do know a site where they can be found however sadly on my visit I couldn't find any...

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Just found this thread. Ive seen them take wasps and sizable grasshoppers but not a dragonfly before! Their webs are definately stronger than a garden spiders web!

I have seen a similar Darter in the web of Araneus pyramidatus, rather smaller than a Garedn spider. Web strength is quite a bit more than seems lilely. The line is strong and quite stretchy which lets it absorb energy.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by Robert S J Smith

The Wasp Spider is on my must see list I think they look stunning.

To my knowledge they are quite rare in Norfolk but I do know a site where they can be found however sadly on my visit I couldn't find any...

They can be hard to spot at first. There are a few spots in a couple of my regualr haunts and it always to a while to find webs I had seen before, and once I spotted one, I kept finding more and more. Bit late in the year now but look for small gaps in the grass, often where a person has stepped and flatterned a footprint sized area.