Summary
Yellow garden spiders have bold yellow-and-black blotches; banded garden spiders have fine silver-and-yellow horizontal bands. Both build stabilimentum zigzags.
Diagnostic traits
| Trait | Yellow Garden Spider | Yellow Garden Spider |
|---|---|---|
| Abdomen pattern | Large yellow blotches on black | Narrow silver, yellow, and black bands |
| Stabilimentum | Vertical zigzag | Vertical zigzag (often less pronounced) |
| Range | Eastern, central U.S. | Western and central U.S. |
The bottom line
At-a-glance comparison
| Yellow Garden Spider | Yellow Garden Spider | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific | Argiope aurantia | Argiope aurantia |
| Family | Araneidae | Araneidae |
| ♀ body | 19–28 mm | 19–28 mm |
| Leg span | 50–75 mm | 50–75 mm |
| Range | 1 U.S. states | 1 U.S. states |
| Medical | Not medically significant | Not medically significant |