PHOENIX — There's a lot of weird bugs in Arizona, but sometimes the most spectacular specimens can pop up in your own garden. And yes, they may look spooky... But this unusual spider is nothing to be scared of.
Deborah Grgat found the little guy and took to her NextDoor app to ask her neighbors in Saddle Rock Hills what on earth it was.
As one user pointed out, this is a silver argiope, also known as a silver garden spider (Argiope argentata, for the Latin-inclined).
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They're a common member of the orb-weaver spider family found widely in arid environments across North, Central, and South America. You can recognize them by their shiny silvery pattern, as well as the unique zigzag pattern they weave into their webs.
Silver argiope, photos by Deborah Grgat
Silver argiopes may look intimidating, but they're a docile species of spider that's almost completely harmless to people. They need to be seriously provoked to bite out of self defense, and even if they do, their venom is not toxic to humans. It might cause some pain and redness, similar to a bee sting.
The University of Nebraska found the species to be beneficial, feeding on pest insects such as moths, wasps, mosquitos and flies.
So if you find one of these spiders in your yard, just leave them be, and thank them for taking town the local mosquitos!
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