The best spider web designers die young. Beth Tyler 06.08.01 Argiope argentata spiders spin visible designs in their webs. There is variation among the spiders in how much they decorate their webs. Some spiders spin many designs, while others spin very few or none. Scientists wanted to know what benefits a spider gets from designing its web. They observed spiders in the wild for two years. They recorded data on how much a spider decorated its web, how much prey it caught, and how long it lived. The discovered that Argiope argentata spiders who have highly decorated webs catch more insects but also die the earliest. The web designs are good for catching prey, especially stingless bees. However, because they’re so visible, predators can easily find the spiders and eat them. By designing or not designing its web, the spider makes a decision about whether to catch more prey or remain hidden from predators. Craig, C. L., S. G. Wold, J. L. D. Davis, M. E. Hauber, and J. L. Maas. 2001. Signal polymorphism in the web-decorating spider Argiope argentata is correlated with reduced survivorship and the presence of stingless bees, its primary prey. Evolution 55(5): 986- 993. ©2001 The Aurora Collection, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Site Development by: Interactive Multimedia. Inc.