Here on the farm we have been having trouble with our computers, or with our router or just with the internet service. I actually do not know which or if it is all three. So on some days or in some hours or  mornings or evenings we just have such slow service that it makes doing anything on here difficult if not impossible.

So without further ado I will just post what I managed to post one my homestead blog yesterday.  Duh-Dahhhhhhhhh!

We have had some confusion here about what the actual name for this spider is. We thought it was a Golden Orb but since we do not live in a rainforest we have ruled that out.

What we have here is the Black and Yellow Argiope or Argiope Aurantia! It is also called the black and yellow garden spider because you do find it in the garden. We have them in Illinois and they are one of the largest orb weavers we have. The web has a zigzag design right in the middle which may be more attractive to prey. It is beneficial to the garden in that it eats other insects.  They do bite but if you are not allergic to them you don't have to worry. Doesn't that make you feel better!  An orb weaver is different than a cobweb spider. Apparently cobweb spider webs are described as messy and disorganized.  I will have to look more closely now to verify that. Orb weavers have 8 eyes too but I do not think I will check this out anytime soon. Females are larger than males.

Dinner time!!!

The University of Kentucky Entomology department has a great website for information.

It lives in tall grass and weeds. 

Blessings.