Wasp Spider
The Wasp Spider is so called because of the eye-catching yellow, black and white striped colouration of the female.
The Wasp Spider is common in Europe from the Mediterranean to as far north as Scandinavia but it was only first recorded in the UK at 1922 at Rye in Sussex. However, they have now spread northwards and become much more frequent in suitable habitat over the past 15 years due to the warmer climate.
Female Wasp Spiders are 11-15mm and males are 4-4.5mm. The females are distinctively marked with a silvery thorax and black, yellow and white striped abdomen but the males are pale brown.
Wasp Spiders live in long grass and low vegetation and, because the egg sac is made on grass leaves, they can only become established where grass is not regularly managed.
Wasp spiders hunt flying insects and grasshoppers and build an orb web with a vertical zigzag pattern of silk in it called a stabilimentum. The purpose of the stabilimentum is unclear but it is thought that it helps attract insects.
Date: 26th August 2007
Location: Stow Maries Halt EWT reserve, Stow Maries, Essex
The Wasp Spider is common in Europe from the Mediterranean to as far north as Scandinavia but it was only first recorded in the UK at 1922 at Rye in Sussex. However, they have now spread northwards and become much more frequent in suitable habitat over the past 15 years due to the warmer climate.
Female Wasp Spiders are 11-15mm and males are 4-4.5mm. The females are distinctively marked with a silvery thorax and black, yellow and white striped abdomen but the males are pale brown.
Wasp Spiders live in long grass and low vegetation and, because the egg sac is made on grass leaves, they can only become established where grass is not regularly managed.
Wasp spiders hunt flying insects and grasshoppers and build an orb web with a vertical zigzag pattern of silk in it called a stabilimentum. The purpose of the stabilimentum is unclear but it is thought that it helps attract insects.
Date: 26th August 2007
Location: Stow Maries Halt EWT reserve, Stow Maries, Essex
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Also in: Insects, beetles, spiders, etc.
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