Argiope bruennichi
I call this the ‘tiger spider’; the female body length is about 20 mm – so quite scary when you first meet one! Every year at about this time I find the webs in the newly sprouting lavender.
There is other wildlife in the garden. I hadn’t realised that the male locust is so much smaller than the female.
There aren’t many locusts here, so they aren’t a problem. They are wary creatures so I can understand how they can reproduce and become problamatic.
In the wood shed we found what looked like apiece of mud, on further investigation it is some kind of home built to protect some grubs – any ideas as to what they might be?
And another view, looking at the cut end.
Ok , now I know why I prefer to garden here! I am terrified even of the Tiger Spider’s picture. Could the nest be solitary bee larvae?
Actually the spider is rather beautiful. Thanks for the suggestion of solitary bees. They certainly could be that as there are lots of different bees in the garden.
oh no no, too entomological by far!
That spider is beautiful and the photos are good!
Sorry for answering your comment so late in my blog.