This species occurs on several islands in the western Pacific Ocean, in Hawaii and from Taiwan, Australia, New Caledonia, New Guinea to Indonesia.

[3] On Guam, where Argiope appensa is ubiquitous, it is frequently visited by Argyrodes argentatus, that steals food from the host.

[5] Following the brown tree snake and the subsequent extinction or near-extinction of many of the island's small birds, spider populations on Guam exploded in response to decreasing predation and competition.

[6] Nature writer David Quammen has called Argiope appensa "almost certainly one of the larger species" which were encountered in vast numbers during his research trip to Guam for the book The Song of the Dodo.

[3] These decorations, usually called stabilimenta, could be a warning device to prevent birds from inadvertently destroying the web.