Wasp spider (Argiope bruennichi)

Short answers

Wasp spider: How big does the enclosure need to be?

30×30×40 cm (tall, for a large orb web; a mesh or gauze cage).

Wasp spider: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–26 °C (summer), sunny areas up to ~30 °C, at night 14–18 °C.

Wasp spider: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB not essential; diurnal, natural daylight and a bright position are beneficial.

Wasp spider: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 1 year (the adult female dies in autumn after laying).

Wasp spider: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–26 °C (summer), sunny areas up to ~30 °C

Night temperature

14–18 °C

Basking spot

—

Humidity

50–70 %

UVB

UVB not essential; diurnal, natural daylight and a bright position are beneficial

Enclosure

Minimum size

30×30×40 cm (tall, for a large orb web; a mesh or gauze cage)

Substrate

A soil and sand mix with grasses and stems as anchors for the web; planted like a meadow

Feeding

Food

Flying insects: locusts, crickets, flies, moths

Feeding interval

adults 1–2×/week, juveniles more often and smaller prey

Key facts

Adult size

females 14–17 mm body (the leg span is greater), males 4–6 mm

Life expectancy

approx. 1 year (the adult female dies in autumn after laying)

Origin

Originally Mediterranean; today established across central Europe including Germany

Protection status

Native; general protection under §39 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (taking from the wild only with good reason). Not "specially protected", no CITES.

Brumation

The adult does not overwinter – it dies in autumn; overwintering happens as an egg sac, and the spiderlings hatch in spring

Cohabitation

Keep them singly. Solitary and cannibalistic; the female often eats the male during or after mating. No groups or permanent pairs.

Notes

A classic outdoor orb-web spider, and hardly a typical terrarium species: short-lived (annual), and it needs a large web. Keeper experiences are usually seasonal. The bite is harmless to humans. Husbandry data are sparse – the figures follow its field ecology.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Lobed argiope (Argiope lobata) – Intermediate
• Woodlouse spider (Dysdera crocata) – Intermediate
• Huntsman spider (Heteropoda venatoria) – Beginner
• Brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) – Expert
• David Bowie huntsman spider (Heteropoda davidbowie) – Intermediate
• Tube-web spider (Segestria florentina) – Intermediate
• Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) – Expert
• Segmented spider (Liphistius sp.) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Wasp spider (Argiope bruennichi) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (30×30×40 cm (tall, for a large orb web; a mesh or gauze cage)), substrate (A soil and sand mix with grasses and stems as anchors for the web; planted like a meadow), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.