Three banded Argiope and her home

Post by **MWP admin** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 1:11 pm

I have met this wonderful example of the Three-banded argiope (Argiope trifasciata if I remember well what Dr. David Mifsud told me back in December when I was photographic the Smilax aspera in Mistra.

Recentely I was in the same spot (looking for Narcissus tazetta) and I found the spider in the same cobweb in the same spot. Seems very happy about his own-built house. According to my info, it is a quite rare species in Malta.

There is a more common agriope which is usually found between leaves of Opuntia maxima (Preakly pear) leaves and once I remember that it was like seeing a discovery movie when a wasp fell in the prey's web (poor wasp!)

sandra · Post by **sandra** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 3:54 pm

Nice photos. I happened to come across a specimen of Argiope trifasciata during fieldwork on the clay slopes at Ghajn Tuffieha about 2 years ago. It was very difficult to spot. I still as yet have not encountered the similar Argiope lobata locally though.

Post by **MWP admin** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 6:59 pm

Thanks for the compliments about the photos. What is exactly your work?, it seems you are involved a lot in Biology fieldwork.

sandra · Post by **sandra** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:41 pm

I am a biology teacher, although I recently graduated with a Masters in environmental planning and management, and had to do a lot of fieldwork for that. I also carry out floral terrestrial fieldwork and freshwater with my students every year. Ive been to the rain forest, Tuscany for field trips, and we have also taken a group to the Uk and am currently organising a trip to Sicily to do fieldwork there too next november with my students.

I infact wish to somehow contact Mr Weber should he be interested in twinning our students when he comes over for a local field trip.

Plus well, I guess like you I take shots of whatever's living!although you seem to have a better camera.

Ive also got my own website www.bioclix.org

I think I remember you somwhere in Univerisity I was 1993-1997 B.Ed Biology.

Post by **MWP admin** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 10:04 am

Oh I see... Interesting. We might also organise a small field work amongst active members of the MaltaWildPlants forum if intersted. Just tell me - it would be interesting for many of us, and hope also for you. You will lead the work.

Yes I been in that course B.Ed in 1993 but I cant recall you (sandra). My memory reserved for people names is small! However if I see a photo I would definitely recall you. (maybe a photo from the 1993 period

)

"although you seem to have a better camera. " Just a normal compact $400USD Canon Digital camera, but I have aquired some skills in photography and made some courses too. Thanks for the compliments.

I dont want to reply for Weber, but I can say that their trips are in German.

sandra · Post by **sandra** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 9:06 pm

For the fieldwork, yes we could organise something later on when the abundance of floral diversity is at its highest. However I must point out that I am by no means a botanist. Although I can now identify numerous species with experience gained through practice and photography, it could be great if we could muster up some of the enthusiasts,and perhaps one of our foreign expert contributors when in Malta and organise a simple fieldwork session. It should surely be a learning experience for all.