Banded Garden Spider

Originally from the Americas, Argiope trifasciata was introduced worldwide. In Europe, it can be found on the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands, and Madeira. The similar looking Argiope bruennichi is common in the Azores. In Africa, the species is recorded from three countries. In South Africa, the species is known from eight of the nine provinces at elevations ranging from 3 to 1,557 m above sea level.

The species constructs orb webs in wetlands, open grassland areas and gardens. The webs are usually placed low in shrubby vegetation sturdy enough to bear their weight. The spider hangs at the hub head-down throughout the day. In South Africa, the species inhabits all floral biomes except the Nama Karoo and Succulent Karoo biomes, and has also been collected from crops such as cotton, kenaf, lucerne and tomatoes.