Not So Itsy-Bitsy Spider

We found a huge scary spider in the rosemary bush in our front yard this afternoon and I went all Discovery Channel and laid out in the bush to get some close-up photos.  It’s quite amazing, probably 3 inches from toe to toe with the torso (thorax?) over an inch long.  It’s hard to tell from the photo but it’s sitting in a large intricate web, just hanging out waiting for bugs or small children to become ensnared.  Any spider-ologists out there who know what kind of spider this is?  Is it poisonous?  Does it shoot lasers out of its eyes?  Help me out here. 

One Response to “Not So Itsy-Bitsy Spider”

  1. Natalie Zensisu Says:

    Pete, we had the exact same spider in one of our rosemary bushes a year or so ago (it was huge and scary looking) and I did the same thing, trying to figure out what it was.

    I think it’s a harmless Banded Argiope, otherwise known as a banded garden spider, which is part of the orb weaver family. Check out this link for pics…

    http://www.spiderzrule.com/banded.htm

Leave a Reply