Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia) - Identification, Range & Medical Data

Summary

A large, conspicuous orb weaver of gardens and meadows across the Lower 48. Recognized by the female's bold black-and-yellow markings and the prominent zig-zag stabilimentum woven into the center of her web.

Quick answers

Is Yellow Garden Spider dangerous to humans?: No. Current evidence does not link yellow garden spider bites to serious medical outcomes in healthy adults.
How big is an adult yellow garden spider?: Adult female body length is 19–28 mm; males are 5–9 mm. Leg span reaches 50–75 mm.
Where does Yellow Garden Spider live?: Sunny meadows, gardens, forest edges, tall vegetation. Established U.S. populations occur in 1 states.
What does Yellow Garden Spider eat and when is it active?: Flying insects - grasshoppers, wasps, bees, flies. Diurnal; sits inverted at the center of the web. Active July–October.

Identification

Female 19–28 mm with bright yellow and black abdominal markings
Silver-haired cephalothorax
Prominent zig-zag stabilimentum at the hub of the web (diagnostic for Argiope)
Legs black with yellow or orange bases
Male much smaller and inconspicuous

Morphometrics

Measurement	Female	Male
Body length	19–28 mm	5–9 mm
Leg span	50–75 mm	-
Lifespan	1–1 years	-

Trait	Value
Web type	Vertical orb web up to 60 cm in diameter, with a dense white zig-zag stabilimentum at the hub.
Eye arrangement	Eight eyes in two rows of four.
Eggs per sac	400–1400
Egg sacs per year	1–3

Geographic range

Native range: Throughout the contiguous United States and southern Canada; absent from the Pacific Northwest interior.

U.S. states with established populations: All 48 contiguous U.S. states.

State pages covering Yellow Garden Spider

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Habitat & behavior

Habitat: Sunny meadows, gardens, forest edges, tall vegetation.

Activity: Diurnal; sits inverted at the center of the web. Active July–October.

Diet: Flying insects - grasshoppers, wasps, bees, flies.

Venom & medical significance

Venom property	Value
Type	Not medically significant
LD₅₀	Not established
Note	-

Bite symptoms & first aid

Symptoms

Bites are very rare; mild local pain at most

Commonly confused with

Banded garden spider (A. trifasciata)
Joro spider

Key facts

Argiope spiders are among the few orb weavers that build a visible stabilimentum - its function likely combines web stability, prey attraction, and bird deterrence. [1]

Sources

[1]Argiope aurantia - University of Florida IFAS Featured Creatures. Accessed 2026-06-14.