# Wasp spider (Argiope bruennichi) > A distinctive yellow-and-black orb-weaver common in grasslands and gardens; females build large vertical webs with a white zig-zag stabilimentum. Source: https://insectscanner.com/species/wasp-spider/ (updated 2026-10-10) ## Is it dangerous? **Mild bite.** Wasp spiders are venomous to their insect prey but not dangerous to people. Bites are rare and usually occur only if the spider is handled or trapped against skin; they generally cause localized pain, redness and swelling similar to a bee or wasp sting. Seek medical advice if there are signs of a severe allergic reaction, increasing pain, spreading redness, or infection. **Pets:** Not a significant risk to dogs or cats. A curious pet that paws at a spider could receive a defensive bite causing brief local pain or swelling; serious effects are not expected. ## Quick facts - Scientific name: Argiope bruennichi - Order: Araneae (Spiders) - Family: Araneidae (Orb-weaver spiders) - Size: Females about 11-17 mm body length; males about 4-6 mm body length - Colours: Yellow, Black, Silvery white, Dark brown - Habitat: Low vegetation, grassland margins, meadows, gardens, hedgerows and wasteland where they can anchor vertical orb webs. - Range: Native to Europe, North Africa and much of temperate Asia; its range has expanded northward in recent decades and it is now common in many parts of Europe. - Active: Mainly summer to early autumn; most visible and largest from July to September. Females sit in the web during the day. - Lifespan: About one year; adults live from late summer into autumn, and spiderlings overwinter inside the egg sac. - Effect on plants: Harmless - Pest: no ## Overview Argiope bruennichi is a striking orb-weaving spider found across Europe, parts of Asia and North Africa. Females are notably larger and show bright yellow and black banding on the abdomen that resembles a wasp. They build vertical orb webs in low vegetation, often with a conspicuous white zig-zag silk decoration called a stabilimentum. Males are much smaller and live near or on the female's web during mating season. ## How to identify it Females have a large, oval abdomen with bold transverse yellow, white and black stripes, a silvery-haired cephalothorax and long pale legs with dark bands. Males are much smaller, slimmer and pale brownish with little of the bold banding. The web often includes a central dense white silk decoration (stabilimentum) in a zig-zag pattern. - Bold transverse yellow and black (wasp-like) bands on the abdomen of females. - Large vertical orb web often with a conspicuous white zig-zag stabilimentum in the centre. - Marked sexual size dimorphism: females much larger (roughly 11-17 mm) and more brightly coloured than males (about 4-6 mm). ## Lookalikes - **Banded garden spider** (Argiope trifasciata): Abdomen has many thin silver, yellow and black bands and is more pointed at the rear; found mainly in the Americas and other warm regions. - **Lobed argiope** (Argiope lobata): Larger, with a silvery-white abdomen that has deep lobes along the sides instead of yellow-and-black stripes; mainly Mediterranean and warmer regions. ## Life cycle - **Egg:** Females lay eggs in a brown, urn-shaped silken sac attached to vegetation in autumn. Spiderlings hatch before winter but stay inside the sac until spring. - **Juvenile (spiderling):** Young spiders hatch as spiderlings, disperse by ballooning on silk threads, and go through several moults while growing in the vegetation. - **Adult:** Adults appear in mid to late summer. Females build and maintain large orb webs; males approach cautiously to mate, and the female often eats the male afterwards. ## Diet and predators - Young eat: Small flying or jumping insects such as gnats, small flies and aphids. - Adults eat: Larger flying insects including flies, grasshoppers, bees and wasps captured in the orb web. - Predators of the young: Birds, larger predatory insects and spiders, parasitoids and parasitoid wasps. - Predators of adults: Birds, wasps that attack spiders, larger spiders and small mammals; some birds may avoid the conspicuous adult females. ## Effect on plants and gardens Wasp spiders do not damage plants; they are predators of flying and jumping insects and can help reduce pest insect numbers in gardens. ## Where and when to find it Look for their vertical orb webs in low vegetation, shrubs, garden borders, meadow edges and hedgerows; adults are easiest to spot on the web. - Best time: July to September during daylight hours when webs are maintained and prey capture is active. - Tips: Approach slowly and photograph from a distance to avoid disturbing the web. Early morning with dew on the web can make the web and stabilimentum especially photogenic. ## Fun facts - The white zig-zag silk band in the web is called a stabilimentum; researchers have proposed several functions, including making the web more visible to prevent large animals from accidentally destroying it or attracting prey. - Females are much larger than males — a dramatic example of sexual size dimorphism in spiders. - Spiderlings disperse by 'ballooning': releasing silk threads to be carried on the wind to new locations. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do wasp spiders bite? They can bite if handled or trapped against skin, but bites are uncommon. Symptoms are usually mild (localized pain, redness and swelling) similar to a bee sting. ### Are wasp spiders dangerous to humans? Only mildly. Their venom is effective on insects but not dangerous to healthy humans; a bite causes brief local pain and swelling at most. Seek medical attention for severe allergic reactions or signs of infection. ### Why is a wasp spider in my garden? Gardens and meadows provide the low vegetation and plentiful flying insects wasp spiders need for anchoring their webs and catching prey. ### How do I get rid of a wasp spider? If removal is desired, gently relocate the spider by encouraging it onto a container and moving it to nearby vegetation. Destroying webs or regular disturbance will encourage it to move away. Pesticides are unnecessary and harm beneficial insects. ### Do wasp spiders eat bees? Yes, adults can capture bees and wasps in their webs, though captured stinging insects are often wrapped in silk quickly to reduce risk to the spider. --- More about this species: [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/50867), [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argiope_bruennichi). Identify insects and spiders from a photo with the Insect Scanner iPhone app: https://apps.apple.com/app/id1543946563?pt=126685406&ct=web-markdown&mt=8 Identification from photos is never certain: don't handle insects you can't identify, and get medical advice for bites, stings or allergic reactions.