Our first summer here I found three Wasp Spiders (Argiope bruennichi) in the garden, but since then, nothing. Imagine my surprise when deadheading in the Nectar Bar to realise I was disturbing a huge Wasp Spider! I then discovered one in the herb garden that same day, and in the last few days have been finding more.
In all I have counted 14 in our garden! Most are in the ditch between our property and the gardens on the hillside next to us. The ditch is for run off during heavy rainfall, but is a godsend for wildlife as it's full of wildflowers and is just a wild jungle really, so a good place for creatures to hide from predators. Unless you are a pollinating insect, and the whole ditch has become one big Wasp Spider hang out!
This spider above has a stabilimentum (the zigzag decoration) on its web, but I noticed that most of them don't. It could be that the stabilimentum has been disturbed by the amount of wind we get. The first spider that I found had its stabilimentum disturbed by me and whilst the spider eventually respun a great new web, it didn't bother with this part of it. A bit puzzling! However it's not known what purpose the stabilimentum actually serves though there are several hypotheses.
Below is the one I first found in my Valerian in the Nectar Bar. It's one of the biggest, though they really range in size even in a small area like my garden.
The following two are taken showing the underside of the spider.
This one has a juicy fly or bee wrapped up in silk, or, quite possibly, her mate! I have noticed in one photo I took of this spider, three males hanging around the outside of her web. What's wrapped up is stripy though, and the males are rather brown looking and much less decorative, not to mention a lot smaller. You can see a picture of a male and a female together here.
I'm now going to look for their egg sacs, as I have yet to see one. They are supposed to be hung in the vegetation near the web and resemble an upturned Greek urn. Fingers crossed!
Email Subscribers
I only noticed a month or so back that I wasn't receiving my own copy of my blog via Feedio. I have no idea what happened but they have disappeared off the face of the internet, so I have had to find another provider to send emails out to you. I have gone with follow.it and let's hope they stick around for longer!
You have missed quite a few posts - I don't know from when exactly but it was early on this year I think.
Here are links to the posts I've made (most recent first) that you may be interested in reading:
Pyrenean Escapade with Birding Languedoc Part 2
Pyrenean Escapade with Birding Languedoc - Part 1
Wildflowers and orchids on a hillside in Laurac
Black Redstart nest and new butterflies in the garden
Orchids at home and another trip with Birding Languedoc
Orchids, butterflies and more in the Upper Aude Valley - Part 2
Orchids, butterflies and more in the Upper Aude Valley - Part 1
I think I need to catch up a bit
Look what the snow brought!
I think that's about it. Hope you enjoy the posts and thank you for following Chateau Moorhen!
Thank you for keeping me updated with your blogs.
ReplyDeleteThey make great reading , plus keep me updated on you and your interests.
Many thanks, Anon!
DeleteThey are amazing spiders and it must be wonderful to have them in the garden. I've never seen one although I did search at RSPB Arne, without success, where there is a colony.
ReplyDeleteThanks Caroline. I can actually see two in the herb bed from the kitchen window which is rather fun, especially when they run quickly after an insect that brushed by the web!
DeleteYesterday I counted 17 although the first one in the Valerian has gone (good cos I needed to deadhead it!), so it shows that they move around, as originally there were about 6 outside of our hedge by the road, but they are all gone now. So you just have to be in the right place at the right time, even in a reserve where they are known to breed. Hopefully you will find some one day!
Glad you have found an email solution. I am still getting you via Feedly.
ReplyDeleteFeedly is still going as far as I know, I do look in there occasionally. I think for some people they prefer to receive via email otherwise unless they are into following blogs/websites via something like Feedly or Bloglovin (which is very up and down), they just don't bother.
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