Tiger Spiders / Writing Spiders

Wasp Spider (Argiope bruennichi) Striking yellow, white, and black transverse bands on the abdomen, resembling a wasp.  Widespread across Central, Southern, and Northern Europe, expanding further north into the UK. Tall grass, meadows, sunny roadside verges, and rough grassland.

Lobed Argiope (Argiope lobata)Appearance: Distinctly scalloped or lobed margins on a silvery-beige or yellowish-brown abdomen.Distribution: Limited primarily to Southern Europe (Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal areas).Habitat: Hot, dry, shrubby, and open Mediterranean habitats (xerothermophilic).

Banded Argiope (Argiope trifasciata)Appearance: Fine, numerous white and yellow-brown bands.Distribution: Found in Europe strictly in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal), the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, and Madeira.Habitat: Warm, sandy, or scrubby southern locales.

There are also two other North African Argiope species, Argiope sector and Argiope australis, which sometimes appear in southern Mediterranean checklists.

The USA has several species from the Argiope genus. By far the most common of these is the Banded Garden Spider, Argiope aurantia.

Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia): Also known as the Black-and-Yellow Garden Spider or the Writing Spider. Argiope aurantia is the most common and widespread species, found across the entire contiguous United States and southern Canada. - LINK 1    LINK 2

Banded Garden Spider (Argiope trifasciata): Widespread across the United States, recognizable by fine yellow, silver, and dark transverse bands on the abdomen. This species has spread to much of the Mediterranean region.

Silver Argiope (Argiope argentata): As its name suggests the Silver Argiope features a silvery, lobed abdomen. It is restricted to warm southern regions including California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida.

Florida Argiope (Argiope florida): Found in the southeastern U.S. (from North Carolina down to Florida and west to Louisiana), with occasional sightings in the Southwest.

Argiope blanda: A very localized species in the United States, found primarily in the southern tip of Texas (and some parts of Southern California).

Hawaiian Garden Spider (Argiope appensa): Found exclusively in Hawaii within the US territories.