She has eight eyes!

What great picture Lori!
Beatiful spider! I haven't seen this type before

this is Argiopes aurantia...an insect eating phenomenon! LOL.

fantastic photo Lori

Wonderful shot is it poisonous ? Looks like it got the type of body that says eat me at your own risk.Those yellow markings look like hazard warning signs.

Thanks, Irish! BB..no it is rarely near human beings as it's chosen environment is in the garden amongst tall plants. It is definitely not poisonous... this lady is a welcome guest in my garden...even my dog, who loves to chase bumble bees doesn't seem interested in her...as to her colour warning, it's probably for the birds, who are her main predator.

also note that she is missing one of her legs??! I checked on her this a.m. and she is still sitting in wait...

That is a wonderful pic . Lori It,s a beautiful creature !

This is a wonderful photograph Lori. I love spiders and they are so interesting. The way they make their webs and manage to catch their dinner. The markings are bright and it's usually the female who is the bigger of the two. The males are usually smaller, probably because they have to get away quick after mating the female!!!!! otherwise they get eaten. I've actually witnessed this through our window.

Thanks Lindak and Amy...We got the high winds and rain that was the tail of Hurricane Ike...and I'm afraid my lovely Natasha and her web have disappeared. Lindak: the difference between Argiopes and other spiders is that she does Not kill her paramour... Lucky for him, aye? the male argiopes don't look all that much like the female...infact most of the males are so much smaller in size and plainer in colour that they aren't always identifiable, at first glance, as Argiopes. They may be brown in colour or have the black and yellow markings on a very small abdomen and are about 1/3rd the size of the female. In the interest of genetic diversity the male Argiopes may live to mate with several different females and usually dies not long after mating...hence they are a strong species and common in most gardens where spraying is not practiced. The female (according to one source I read) have been documented as living as long as eight years!! (Not in the climate I live in, certainly!)

I wonder if it would be possible to overwinter her indoors Lori? In some sort of tank maybe? Tho feeding might be a problem......I wonder if live crickets you can get from a pet shop would keep her going? I won't be visiting anytime soon if you do tho ha ha ha....

To be quite honest, Sarah, I never even considered the possibility. but a very good idea, as I already buy crickets for my gecko...
This pic was taken in early September, with frost fast approaching, and already injured, I think that she was preparing to leave her egg casing and expire....sadly. We had a very severe storm with high winds just after this pic was taken...the plants were blown around and her web was damaged...and she was gone! Perhaps she went in search of a more sheltered spot...at least that's what I'm hoping...sigh.

When we moved into this empty bungalow last October there were spiders in the cupboards and corners of the rooms. Mostly of a rounded bodied spider suspended on long legs.

probably the creepy house spiders...with the really long legs...sometimes called "daddy longlegs" .... the legs look like they were designed by some high tech design firm.....There is a very large sculpture of a spider called "Maman" in the square in front of the National Art Gallery in Ottawa...I must get a pic of her for goY spider fans!

I wonder if we will get a hatching out in the spring. The cat will enjoy chasing them and eating them.

i have the same kind of spider as a pet nd i wanted to know if there poisin well text back if u know thank u:)!?!

plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz n thank u

ahh she was a beauty. Have read that these spiders (Argiopes aurantia) have venom but it is specific to other insects...it might cause a human discomfort but that is all. from what is available on the web, I gather that they are typically garden spiders and usually have very little contact with people... and they would only bite a person if they were seriously threatened. If you have one for a pet I would handle with extreme gentleness...better yet..leave her among the flowers and visit her often. (this is what I did) where this pic was taken the female might hibernate over winter...but usually she lays a clutch of eggs that hatch in August and the spiderlings take cover for winter. I think the female and her mate (who is much smaller) die off as the cold weather approaches while the spiders in warmer parts of the world have been observed to live as long as two years. Hope this helps... I have posted a comment on one or the other of my pics of this girl, that has the address of a bug expert ...will look for it and post it here.

Hey Lori! I captured this very spider today (8/20/2011) after it scared the begeebees out of my grandson! lmbo,
I showed her off to the entire family who were amazed. About 1 1/2 in. long with legs bent. Kind hard to get a pix when captured in ajar! But I took several, hope they can be seen without to much difficulty. Great shot of yours!
She will be returned to her web.

ACCSR

congrats, accsr. They are very beneficial in the garden.
:-) !!!

stuff of night mares Lori !!

Gg

Wow what a fantastic photo Lori very colourful I am glad I have nt got this coming in my house come winter lol

Lol Gnarly gnome.

I love spiders in the garden.. in my home, not so much! lol... It's nice to know that something that large is not a threat to anyone...except perhaps the gnats, flies and beetles that might be caught in her web.

Thats great she catches the flying insects hence why I leave the cobwebs in my house especially over summer.