Black and Yellow Garden Spiders are from the Argiope genus and are found throughout the United States of America and Canada. This species is not quite as common in the Rocky Mountain areas as they are everywhere else. The spider is easily identifiable by the distinctive yellow and black coloring found on the abdomen. The legs are equally noticeable by the alternating bands of orange-yellow and black, though this pattern may vary from spider to spider. Females are larger than males; almost four times bigger. Besides being smaller, males do not promote their colors as much, and may appear a shade or two paler compared to the saturated colors seen on the female.
Webs produced by the Black and Yellow Garden Spider are about knee-high off the ground in sunny, still areas of a garden. They are also distinct as some have a thick silk strand that zigzags down the center of the web. This is called the stabilimentum. Additionally, their webs are built in a circular spiral (a classic feature of Orbweaver spider webs). These spiders sit on the web up-side-down with their heads closer to the ground. Their long, lean legs make them appear substantially large and quite intimidating to humans, but they are not aggressive. If disturbed or threatened, this spider may immediately drop to the ground in an attempt to flee and hide. It may also begin bouncing on its web in an effort to confuse a predator by making it difficult to get a clear view of it.
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* MAP NOTES: The territorial heat map above showcases (in red) the states and territories of North America where the Black and Yellow Garden Spider may be found (but is not limited to). This sort of data is useful when attempting to see concentrations of particular species across the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species' given lifespan. Some insects are naturally confined by environment, weather, mating habits, food resources and the like while others see widespread expansion across most, or all, of North America. States/Territories shown above are a general indicator of areas inhabited by the Black and Yellow Garden Spider. Insects generally go where they please, typically driven by diet, environmental changes, and / or mating habits.
Colors: black; yellow; red; silver; orange; brown 
