Argiope trifasciata (the banded garden spider or banded orb weaving spider)[2] is a species of spider native to North and South America, but now found around the world.[3] It can be found in certain areas of Europe, namely the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands, and Madeira.[4][2] The similar looking Argiope bruennichi is common in the Azores.[5] They typically begin to appear during autumn from early September to late October as temperatures start dropping. In Egypt, the type locality of this spider, females were found surviving the relatively warm winter months.[6]
Their webs can reach a diameter of about 60 cm. The length of the web depends on the size of the spider. Webs are capable of reaching a total length of two meters.