Three Common Spiders of Laguna 



Margaret L. Moles 



Plate I. Argiope argentata Fabricus. Female. 



A. argentata was collected abundantly on the sage-brush and 

 cactus. The webs are very large, irregular orbs. The position 

 taken by the spider when on the web is very characteristic. The 

 spider hangs in the center of the web, its forelegs straight beside the 

 head, the hind legs horizontal with the cephalothorax. Colonies of 

 these spiders were found in the center of a clump of cactus. In one 

 small clump there were found five (5) adults on webs and number- 

 less small ones with webs started or partially completed. A. argen- 

 tata is very quick in its movements and drops to the ground as soon 

 as touched. 



Individuals differ in the markings of the abdomen. The differ- 

 ences seem to be mainly in the amount of black coloring on the 

 lower part of the abdomen. In some specimens the silvery white 

 color being everywhere except on the tips of the last three (3) 

 tubercles and the black folium. 



This species has been collected also in Claremont, but not so 

 abundantly. 



Plate II. Tetragnatha laboriosa Hentz. Female. 



This little spider was found on everything and everywhere. It 

 was especially on tar weed, but also inhabited honeysuckle, grass 

 and all the other flowering plants of the dry hills and mesas around 

 the beach. There were very few differences among the different 

 individuals as to markings or colors, though in some the folium on 

 the abdomen was darker than in others, and the shades of yellow 

 on the legs and cephalothorax varied slightly. The spider did not 

 spin a web to live in nor to help in catching food, but depended upon 

 its own speed to gather in flies and insects. This species was by 

 far the most common of all the spiders collected at Laguna. It has 

 also been collected in Claremont, but only a few times. 



