Today I found one of the most beautiful spiders we have in England - Argiope bruennichi. She weaves a large orb web, with an amazing zig-zag pattern in it. The male is very tiny, and may only be a quarter of the size of the female, who can be as large as two centimetres in length. You can see an insect she has caught for her dinner, and wrapped in silk. Of course, it could be her mate... This spider is sometimes known as the Wasp Spider, because of her striped markings, and she's completely harmless to humans. I've never seen one before, so I was thrilled to come across her in Nonsuch Park, in Surrey. I left her exactly where she was, of course. If there weren't any spiders we'd all be overrun with insects in no time at all!
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This spider is actually one of 14 spiders in England known to have bites that lead to reddening and swelling. But, that is no more an excuse to kill such a beautiful - and indeed necessary - creature!
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