I’m amazed at the variety of spiders I see in the yard or around the house. Most of the time I don’t have a camera on hand or I am rushing off to one place or another, and when I come back the spider has inevitably disappeared. With the orb weavers you have a bit more of a chance that they will be around for a second glance. We had the pleasure of having the company of this garden orb weaver (Neoscona crucifera) in our kitchen window for a week or two. The same species also graced the doorway of one of our favorite restaurants for some time, pretending to be an early Halloween decoration. The one at our house probably fell prey to a bird, and the restaurant spider probably scared the clientele too much. Either way, they both went missing around the same time. Orb weavers tend to reside on their spiral web, with their head pointing down, waiting for prey. I did notice the spider guarding an egg sac in a nook of the window frame, so food was not the only thing on her mind.
Neoscona crucifera enjoying a meal. September 2013
Leave a Reply