# What is this big ass white striped spider? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 2, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657 "2018-09-02T19:32:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/1 "2018-09-02T19:32:19Z")
A friend of mine and her husband [dug this up](https://drive.google.com/open?id=1fma3hGyZmEAiqHcKL_WUBW-410Y44LkI) while trying to do some planting (in Kansas). They’ve never seen anything like it. I can’t find anything that really looks like it online, either, plus I’m not even an amateur entomologist. I just tweeted it to @phil\_torres, but I know we have some super spidey people here, too. There are 5 pictures at the link. The last one shows the spider sitting on the blade of a post-hole digging shovel, which should (I hope) give some idea of its size. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/2 "2018-09-02T19:55:52Z")
[Banded Garden Spider](https://wiki.bugwood.org/HPIPM:Banded_Garden_Spider) ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/3 "2018-09-02T20:20:00Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > [Banded Garden Spider](https://wiki.bugwood.org/HPIPM:Banded_Garden_Spider) Goddamn, I love the 'Dope. Less than 20 minutes from question to an answer with pictures that show the same abdomen and dorsal markings! Someone had already suggested Argiope trifasciata, but all the pictures I could find didn’t show that huge, shield-shape abdomen or the markings, so I was dubious. Thank you, **JayJay**! [As an aside, the friend I was talking about? Her husband wanted to plant those seeds before he went into the hospital for an above-the-knee amputation due to a leg wound not healing because of diabetic complications. So the fact that you answered the question is just … cosmic.] ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/4 "2018-09-02T20:40:26Z")
But what’s an orb weaver doing underground?? ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/5 "2018-09-02T21:01:34Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > But what’s an orb weaver doing underground?? No idea. An interesting point is that my friend says this spider was at least 4 inches, with an abdomen that was a good 1 inch across. The Banded Garden Spider is (according to various spider sites) about a quarter that size. I’m thinking a mutant, and Kansas will soon be overrun by big-ass mutant spiders. I’m glad I’m not in Kansas, because I could not welcome them as overlords. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/6 "2018-09-02T21:05:44Z")
Why oh why did I look at that? And your aside didn’t help. Eeeekkk! ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/7 "2018-09-02T21:06:03Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > No idea. An interesting point is that my friend says this spider was at least 4 inches, with an abdomen that was a good 1 inch across. The Banded Garden Spider is (according to various spider sites) about a quarter that size. > > I’m thinking a mutant, and Kansas will soon be overrun by big-ass mutant spiders. I’m glad I’m not in Kansas, because I could not welcome them as overlords. Something I learned a while back (here, probably) was that spiders have very little variation within a species. It was in the context of “if it’s not more or less exactly as described/shown in the guide, it’s not the same kind of spider.” Obviously there has to be _some_ variation, or we wouldn’t get speciation, but given that it differs so significantly, I’m thinking maybe you don’t have a positive ID yet. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/8 "2018-09-02T21:21:01Z")
Yeah, I didn’t take the size into account. I can’t find anything similar-looking but bigger, though. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/9 "2018-09-02T22:07:55Z")
Here is a website you can post the spider on: > **[Spider ID - Submit pictures for spider identification](https://spiderid.com/)** > > Spider ID is a collective of amateur and professional spider enthusiasts. Register to contribute to Spider ID’s library of spider pictures and educational information. We invite you to promote your photography, help identify spiders, submit photos... ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/10 "2018-09-02T22:28:24Z")
After further consultation, it seems she is including the legs in the measurement. I think those sites are measurements without legs, right? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/11 "2018-09-02T22:33:04Z")
The url I posted includes both leg-span and carapace width. But they’re both tiny…14.5 mm for leg-spread, which is a tiny bit over 1/2 inch. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/12 "2018-09-02T23:04:45Z")
And she’s confirming the abdomen all by itself was almost an inch, maybe a skosh more than, which makes it bigger than the one on Bugwood. And so far none of the ones I’ve seen on SpiderID have the same shape abdomen. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/13 "2018-09-03T00:51:06Z")
OK, after some discussion, it turns out I was right the first time. She was giving measurements that included the length of the “fully extended” front legs. The actual SPIDER was about an inch long, which does put it as a typical size for the female banded garden spider. So \*\*jayjay \*\*gets the palm leaf. Thank you, **jayjay**. We will all rest easier knowing that we aren’t being invaded by mutant orb weavers. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/14 "2018-09-03T01:26:34Z")
the garden spiders in my area make exceptionally strong webs that can span many feet. When you walk into them they don’t break. It’s a bit disconcerting when this happens at night. And they’re very tenacious. If you tear the web down they will build another one in the same spot repeatedly until they starve. ---
**Author:** ![etasyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9f8e36/32.png) [@etasyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etasyde)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/15 "2018-09-03T01:48:52Z")
Is this the species in Southern California that builds those _frustratingly_ huge webs **everywhere** around this time of year (and especially in October)? I bloody _hate_ those things, and as described, they’re tenacious and persistent little devils who _insist_ that every single heavily trafficked walkway _must_ be littered with very strong, very large webs that stretch yards and yards… Or maybe it’s a different species? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/16 "2018-09-03T03:16:59Z")
Hey, now…[spiders gotta eat, too](https://thefarside3.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/eat-like-kings.jpg?w=400&h=&crop=1)! ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/17 "2018-09-03T03:41:49Z")
When it comes to big spider webs, it’s hard to beat the ones in [Texas](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/08/11/communal-spider-web-texas/31464051/) and [Austraila](https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/australias-mysterious-spider-rain-explained/news-story/c51d72e4a231731bb42e5f5a1010a7d5). BTW, in future “What spider is this?” threads, my suggestion is that the OP gets a pic of the creature in the palm of their hand. That way it will be easier for us to judge the size of the critter. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/18 "2018-09-03T03:49:41Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > When it comes to big spider webs, it’s hard to beat the ones in [Texas](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/08/11/communal-spider-web-texas/31464051/) and [Austraila](https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/australias-mysterious-spider-rain-explained/news-story/c51d72e4a231731bb42e5f5a1010a7d5). > > BTW, in future “What spider is this?” threads, my suggestion is that the OP gets a pic of the creature in the palm of their hand. That way it will be easier for us to judge the size of the critter. 😃 There are two sound reasons why this will never, ever happen. [ol] [li]This spider is in Kansas, and I am in Pennsylvania.[/li][\*]I am going NOWHERE NEAR ANYTHING WITH THAT MANY LEGS.[/ol] ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/19 "2018-09-03T07:07:13Z")
“…big ass white striped spider…” As legal council for the WSS appreciation league, I must object strenuously to your profane description of WSS anatomy. It is degrading and infantile. Our membership believes body parts should not be shamed; there may be a glandular problem that your sample suffers from. Any continuing or future defamation will be smacked down with a rolled up newspaper. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657/20 "2018-09-03T07:23:42Z")
Huh. You’d think spider culture would value big asses, as it shows a propensity for denser spinneret configurations and therefore a greater aptitude for providing for a family. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-big-ass-white-striped-spider/820657.md?page=2)