Banded Garden Spiders make delicate, regular spiraling webs, and unlike their cousins the secretive Araneus spiders who hide in a retreat near the web, this spider sits right there, smack dab in the middle of the web. These fairly large spiders often adorn their web with zig-zaggy bits of webbing near the middle of the web. These strands, called stabilimenta are the subject of much debate amongst people who study spiders (Arachnologists).
Like other orb-web weaving spiders, these spiders typically catch our attention in late summer when they are full grown. In Alberta, you can find them in dry grassy areas of the prairies. Look in sandy depressions and old burrows.
The Banded Garden Spider is a fair size for a spider – with females sometimes being over 20 mm long (an inch or so), not counting the very long legs. The elongate abdomen is almost white with black transverse bands. The exceptionally large legs are orange with black bands. The two front pairs are held forward, and the back pairs held towards the rear of the body when resting on the web.
Talk about Banded Garden Spiders on our moderated
message board. Get answers and share images. We are Alberta's largest and friendliest
online community of nature enthusiasts. Beginners and experts are
welcome. We are non-profit, non-commercial, ad free and spam free.
Where to find Banded Garden Spiders in Alberta
There is currently no information regarding this species in our Where & When database.
Please Report the Banded Garden Spiders You See in Alberta
Our readers are always interested in hearing about the wildlife you see in Alberta.
Banded Garden Spider Behaviour
No observations regarding Banded Garden Spider behavior have been submitted to the database yet.
Interesting Facts about Banded Garden Spiders
No interesting facts regarding Banded Garden Spiders have been submitted to the database yet.
Banded Garden Spider Stories from our Readers
No stories regarding Banded Garden Spiders have been submitted to the database yet.
Banded Garden Spider Sounds
No sounds for this species in our library at this time.
RAY PHILLIPS
for serving as the society's DIRECTOR (MEMBERSHIPS) this year