My first Wasp Spiders I have seen for a while.

Today made up for it, and I saw a good number. The female wasp spider has yellow, black and white stripes, just like a common wasp. Its legs are also striped. The male is smaller and pale brown.

The 1st picture shows a female spider with a grasshopper wrapped up, ready to be eaten.

This time, an underside view with prey.

Mating is a dangerous game for males; they wait at the edge of the web until the female has moulted into a mature form, then take advantage of her jaws being soft and nip into mate. However, many males still get eaten during this time. (The male is smaller and pale brown.) The next pictures shows that this female has killed another and will be eating her, something I have not seen before.

Some smaller meals.

Footnote.

Theories About the Zig-Zag Pattern

Warning for large animals: The thick white silk makes the web easy to see so that passing birds, deer, or humans notice it and do not crash into it.(think this is a bit of a non-starter!)

Attracting prey: The silk reflects ultraviolet light in a way that might mimic flowers and lure hungry insects closer.

Camouflage: The design may break up the spider’s outline or hide its body from sharp-eyed predators.

A long-held misconception: People once thought the pattern added physical strength to hold up the web, but researchers found that the silk is too loosely attached to provide stability.