Argiope pulchella

The female spins an orb-shaped web out of silk. The male does not spin a web, instead it occupies the periphery of the female's web.^[3] This species is found naturally in forests, woodland glades and gardens. Other than these natural habitats, it is found abundantly in disturbed habitats like rubbish dumps, drains and sewage works. Juveniles tend to stay in a wider variety of habitats, where sub-adults and adults live primarily in garden areas and roadside drains and domestic sewage.^[4] It is an entomophagous predator that preys on a wide range of insects.^{[citation needed]} The female builds a web with a zig-zag stabilimentum and positions itself head-down in the centre. If disturbed, it drops to the ground, returning to its original position when the disturbance passes.^[2] A male wishing to mate with the female employs certain courtship behaviours including vibrating its web. It has been shown that the female is more receptive to a male that "shudders" the web at high frequencies for long periods; such activities may also make it less likely that the male will be cannibalised after mating.^[5]

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  Female; ventral view
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  Female; dorsal view with zig-zag stabilimentum
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  Male, "shuddering" on the leg of female^[5]
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  "mating thread dance"
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  "ready to mate"
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  Argyrodes flavescens, a kleptoparasite found on the web of A. pulchella
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  In Kanjirappally, Kerala.
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  Argiope pulchella spinning silk on a captured ant