Argiope Brünnich: calm tiger spider

What does the spider argiope brunnich look like

Description of the spider

Name: Argiope brünnich
Latin: Argiope bruennichi

Class: Arachnida - Arachnida
Squad: Spiders - Araneae
Family: Orb-weaving spiders - Araneidae

	Habitats:	edges, forests and lawns
	Dangerous for:	small insects
	Attitude towards people:	harmless, harmless

This type of spider is difficult to confuse with others. The bright color of the abdomen, consisting of alternating transverse stripes of black and yellow, is very similar to the wasp color. At the same time, females and males of this species differ markedly from each other.

Due to the characteristic stripes, Agriope was called the wasp spider, zebra spider or tiger spider.

Features of reproduction

Pair of Argiope spiders.

Sexual maturity of the female occurs immediately after molting. Males try to mate with the female as quickly as possible, before her chelicerae become hard enough. In the process of mating, males very often lose one of the bulbs, which makes it weaker and more vulnerable. At the end of mating, a large and aggressive female most often tries to attack the male and eat him.

After fertilization, the female begins to prepare a protective cocoon in which she lays her mature eggs. One brood of the Agriop spider can include up to 200-400 cubs. The new generation is born around the end of August - beginning of September.

Agriope spider lifestyle

In the wild, representatives of this species can unite in small colonies of up to 20 individuals. Most of all, the Agriope spider is attracted to open, well-lit areas. This type of arthropod can be found in glades, lawns, forest edges and along roads.

How the spider Agriope spins a web

Like other spiders of the orb weaving family, Agriope weaves a very beautiful pattern on its web. In the center of its web, the wasp spider has a zigzag pattern of dense threads, which is called the stabilimentum. Stabilimentum has two purposes:

1. Such a layered pattern perfectly reflects the sun's rays and can be used to attract insects.
2. Feeling the approach of danger, the spider Agriope begins to shake its webs. Because of this, the rays reflected by the web merge into one bright spot, which scares off a potential enemy.

Spider wasp in its web.

It is worth noting that the wasp spider is engaged in weaving its webs exclusively at dusk. It takes Agriopa about an hour to weave a new circular web with a characteristic pattern.

After the web is ready, the female is located in the center and spreads her paws wide. At the same time, the first two and the last two pairs of limbs are held closer to each other, which is why the outlines of the spider resemble the letter "X".

Wasp spider diet

Spiders of this species are not particularly picky in food and their menu may contain:

As soon as an insect gets into Agriope's net, she swiftly rushes to her, injects her paralyzing poison into the victim's body and entangles him with cobwebs. After some time, all the internal organs of the caught insect, under the influence of enzymes, turn into a liquid, which the spider safely sucks out.

Natural enemies of the spider Agriope

Due to its bright coloration, the wasp spider may not be afraid of most bird species, as contrasting stripes on the abdomen scare away these feathered hunters. Agriope also rarely falls prey to predatory insects and other arachnids.

Argiope spider.

The most dangerous enemies of spiders of this species are:

• rodents;
• lizards;
• frogs;
• This;
• bees.

What is dangerous spider Agriopa for humans

The venom of the Agriop spider is not highly toxic. Animals use it to induce paralysis in small insects caught in their nets. On the basis of experiments carried out by scientists, it was proved that the entire supply of poison of one female Agriope is not enough to kill an adult black cockroach.

Spider Agriope is not prone to aggression and, sensing the approach of danger, he leaves his web and runs away. Agriope can attack a person only if she is driven into a corner or when trying to pick up an arthropod.

The sting of a wasp spider can be dangerous for young children or if a person is prone to allergic reactions to insect stings. For a healthy adult, the sting of an Agriopa is not fatal, but it can lead to the following symptoms:

• sharp pain at the site of the bite;
• swelling and redness on the skin;
• severe itching.
  Are you afraid of spiders?

  TerriblyNo

If the reaction to the bite turned out to be stronger, you should immediately seek help. The help of a specialist is definitely needed for symptoms such as:

• a strong increase in body temperature;
• dizziness;
• nausea;
• the appearance of severe edema.

Habitat of the spider Agriop Brunnich

This species of spiders prefers steppe and desert zones. Their habitat covers almost the entire Palearctic region. Agriopa Brünnich can be found on the territory of the following regions:

• Southern and Central Europe;
• North Africa;
• Asia Minor and Central Asia;
• Far East;
• Japanese islands.

On the territory of Russia, the wasp spider is found mainly in the southern part of the country, but every year representatives of this species are increasingly found in more northern regions. At the moment, you can encounter Agriopa in Russia on the territory of the following regions:

Interesting facts about the spider Agriop

The wasp spider attracts the attention of many people not only because of its unusual and bright color, but also due to several interesting features:

1. After hatching from the egg, the young generation settles with the help of flights on their own cobwebs. Like “flying carpets”, their nets pick up air currents and carry them over great distances. According to scientists, it is precisely such flights that are the reason for the settlement of more northern regions by this species.
2. Agiriopa feels great in captivity and because of this it is very easy to keep them in terrariums. At the same time, it is very important to place only one spider inside, since these creatures will not share their living space with their neighbors. In the matter of feeding, the wasp spider is also unpretentious. It is enough to leave him special insects from the pet store at least every other day.

Conclusion

Agriopa is rightfully considered one of the brightest representatives of arachnids. Like most other species, this spider is not a harmful insect at all. On the contrary, it is considered one of the main natural orderlies, which destroy a huge number of small pests. Therefore, having found such a neighbor near the house or in the garden, you should not rush to drive him away.