The Argiope Aurantia is also known as the Black and Yellow Garden Spider, Writing Spider, or Corn Spider. The beautifully marked spiders are females; the males are equally large, but plain and brown.

This one was found on the old siding of the tobacco barn, but we mainly see them in their large webs which span the vineyard rows, cross-wise. No doubt they catch many pest and beneficial bugs in their webs! We appreciate these beauties’—stabilimentum—a “Z” like pattern that they spin in their web. It looks like a dense zig-zag of corset strings. Often, that’s our first indication that a web stretches across the row.

As we approach one of these beautifully constructed web and if a spider is in the center, the spider will start “bouncing” on the web. This makes the web undulate back and forth. Ger says that to him, it serves as a warning: “Hey! Big Spider, here! Watch out!!” Wikipedia also asserts that it helps the spider ensnare smaller prey.

Although we regularly experience the “oogie” factor in our spider encounters, spiders are an essential part of our little ecosystem and we leave them alone to do their job. However, I caveat this by telling you that I will kill a Black Widow spider on site and without hesitation, if I have the ability. Fair warning to the Black Widows…

This creature feature is a log from a downed tree at the top of lot 11&12′s hill, where the tall trees groan and argue amongst themselves as the wind whips over the hill and sets them afrenzy.

Can you make out the Calvin face from Calvin and Hobbes?

Giant puff balls invade the vineyard!

Gerald inspected the vineyard early Saturday evening before we left and brought back these awesome images of what we think may be giant puffballs. From what I’ve read, the vineyard and weather conditions for puffballs were excellent—our land had recently been disturbed when we planted the vines two years ago and the recent rains were all the spores needed to spout. Ger says the vineyard floor is covered with them. We are not worried about the fungal conditions for our vines, as these are floor fungus. Although we had rain often this past week, the thirsty Southern Maryland soil sucked up the moisture and the light autumn breeze dried the leaf canopy well.

Calvatia gigantea are credited to be edible when young, but I think I might stick to my baby bellas and white buttons until we get an expert mushroom identifier. Wild mushrooms can be difficult to identify and eating the wrong ‘shroom, deadly—or at the very least, very gastro-intestinal upsetting!

Puffball "fairy ring" among the second year Barbera vines!