SpeciesFacts

All species › Spiders and relatives › Yellow Garden Spider

Yellow Garden Spider

Argiope aurantia

Spider or relative · family Araneidae · order Araneae

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
7 states[3]

The Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia) is a spider in the family Araneidae, and it is also called the Golden Garden Spider or Yellow Garden Orbweaver[4][5]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) worldwide, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[2][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Yellow Garden Spider a global rank of G5, which means Secure[2]. USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30 show it is not listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe's state ranks for the 7 states it lists are all SNR[6].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)

Where Yellow Garden Spider lives

NatureServe lists the Yellow Garden Spider as native in 7 US states and territories: Indiana, Montana, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming[3]. That list shows where NatureServe records the species, and it is not a promise you will see one there[3]. On GBIF, the states with the most observation records are Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Georgia[7]. Those counts follow how much people look and report, not how many spiders live there[7].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: native, state rank SNRMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: native, state rank SNRWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: native, state rank SNRINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: native, state rank SNRRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: native, state rank SNRWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank SNRSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[6].
Show state ranks (7 states)
StateRankMeaning
IndianaSNRNot Ranked
MontanaSNRNot Ranked
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
Rhode IslandSNRNot Ranked
South CarolinaSNRNot Ranked
West VirginiaSNRNot Ranked
WyomingSNRNot Ranked

When to look for it

Observation records on GBIF in the United States are highest in July, August and September[8]. Winter months have far fewer records than late summer[8]. These records show when people look and report, not how many spiders there are[8].

January: 147 recordsJanFebruary: 155 recordsFebMarch: 220 recordsMarApril: 791 recordsAprMay: 2,134 recordsMayJune: 4,989 recordsJunJuly: 10,849 recordsJulAugust: 20,899 recordsAugSeptember: 20,920 recordsSepOctober: 6,258 recordsOctNovember: 1,024 recordsNovDecember: 266 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[8].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January147
February155
March220
April791
May2,134
June4,989
July10,849
August20,899
September20,920
October6,258
November1,024
December266

Where to see it

States with the most GBIF observation records: Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Georgia[7]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Yellow Garden Spider endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) globally[2].
Where does the Yellow Garden Spider live?
NatureServe lists it as native in Indiana, Montana, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming[3]. GBIF has the most records from Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Georgia, which reflects where people report it[7].
When can you see a Yellow Garden Spider?
GBIF records in the United States peak in July, August and September[8]. Records reflect when people look and report[8].
What other names does the Yellow Garden Spider have?
NatureServe also lists Golden Garden Spider and Yellow Garden Orbweaver[5].

Facts and sources

  1. Yellow Garden Spider is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Yellow Garden Spider: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Yellow Garden Spider as native in 7 US states and territories: Indiana, Montana, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, West Virginia, Wyoming. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia) is a spider or relative in the family Araneidae, order Araneae. NatureServe Explorer
  5. Other English names listed by NatureServe for Yellow Garden Spider: Golden Garden Spider, Yellow Garden Orbweaver. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe state ranks for Yellow Garden Spider (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  7. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Yellow Garden Spider: Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Georgia. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  8. GBIF observation records of Yellow Garden Spider in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.