Signature Spider

Description:

Argiope luzona (Walckenaer,1841). This Signature Spider, adult female, was spotted sitting on the hub of her web which she had constructed deep inside the foliage of a sapling Mango tree, where it was well concealed. Something, twirling in the breeze, caught my attention and when I got into a position to see it properly, it was a spider's exuvia. Just a few inches behind the exuvia, I could see the spider. As you can see, the spider has created a Four-Arm Continuous Cruciate Stabilimentum. It is not particularly neat and tidy, but this slapdash,haphazard effort is very interesting because it tells part of the story of the moult. In the two or three days leading up to a moult, Argiope luzona becomes lethargic and unable to do much. Its growing body will have become too big for its exoskeleton and it will be trying to break out and pull itself free. During this period, it is unable to carry out repairs or renewal of its web and stabilimentum. When the moult is complete, the spider must rest until the new exoskeleton firms up before it can start to move around. It is a dangerous time, for the spider, as it is unable to fend off any predator which spots it. During the period leading up to the moult, the act of shedding the exuvia and the recovery time, the web and stabilimentum fall into a state of dilapidation. So, as soon as the spider recovers from the ordeal, it becomes a race against time to repair,or replace, its web and stabilimentum in order to ensure its safety and its ability to capture prey. The stabilimentum in the photos looks like it was created in a hurry and I think that is exactly what happened here.

Habitat:

This Argiope luzona was spotted in our backyard. Its web was moored on a young sapling Mango Tree (Mangifera indica Linn.) known in the Philippines as Mangang-kalabau. Plant information from - http://www.stuartxchange.org/Mangga.html...

Notes:

Pic #1. The spider sitting on its hub and the exuvia twirling in the breeze. Pic #2. A close-up of the spider, looking robust and well. Pics #3. and 4. The exuvia, looking a little more clear - these shots were taken when it stopped spinning between gusts of wind. Pic #5. This picture was taken on the next morning, Feb 9, 2024. This amazing spider has made a complete recovery. It now has a new web and stabilimentum. The stabilimentum is not overly impressive, but the important thing is that it is "normal". This one is a fairly basic Two-Arm Discontinuous Cruciate Stabilimentum, but now that the ordeal of the moult is over, I can expect to see many more beautiful web decorations.