Wasp spider - 3, Heeswijk-Dinther, Netherlands

These are 3 separate individuals found in the same patch. This is originally a Mediterranean species, yet now widely found in northern Europe. In the Netherlands, it was first found in the 1980s.

The male of this species leads a life of service, which lasts days at best. He can mate with females twice, as he loses one of his two genitalia during each mating attempt. It gets stuck in the female to prevent other males from mating with the same female. A second attempt is however highly exceptional, usually the female immediately wraps the male and feeds on him. The only chance to survive the ordeal is to mate with a female that just moulted, as her jaws are still soft.

The female has an equal dedication to the next generation, as she guards the eggs sac until death.

Photo of the egg sac (which is enormous), by Arp:

comments (3)

Christine Young

Lion

This was a very successful hike! I love all the photos and am trying not to promote them all ;). Posted 3 years ago
1. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks, I did find a few things I didn't see before, even though it's a place I regularly visit. It's probably because of the change in lens (2:1 macro). I'm not fully pleased with the photography, it's OK-ish, but also meh. It's a hard lens to work with. Posted 3 years ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    Hmm, well...you are a more discerning perfectionist than I am because I think all the photos are great. The lens does sound challenging though, so practice makes progress. :) Posted 3 years ago

The Wasp spider

"Argiope bruennichi", or the wasp spider, is a species of orb-web spider distributed throughout central Europe, Northern Europe, north Africa and parts of Asia. Like many other members of the genus "Argiope", it shows striking yellow and black markings on its abdomen.

Info 44 4

Similar species: Spiders

Species identified by Ferdy Christant