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Male European Garden Spider

Araneus diadematus

Photo by HollyGreene
Published on Project Noah
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42.6242, -73.1174

Field Notes

Description:

This was outside of Eco-friendly Topia Inn, Adams, Mass. He was facing backwards looking out so I had to photograph through the glass to get his front. "common and well-known orb-weaver spider" -wiki

Habitat:

Outside on window on front porch. Web was made attached between window panes.

Species ID Suggestions

Cross Orbweaver

Araneus diadematus

Reference Link
antimatterhands
2

Comments (8)
HollyGreene
Great tips, thanks everyone!!! White cross - I'll remember that. :)
KarenL
Grass spiders build their webs on the ground in the grass as the name suggests. This looks to be one of the orb-weavers.
HollyGreene
Thank you everyone for all the info. I did not know that about the wolf spider! Just after I wrote that, I looked up the wolf spider and I realized this and edited this spotting but it stayed for some reason.
Apple
@Martini---yes, agreed. Many of the identifications of wolf spiders on Project Noah show webs but I remember from my zoology class that they don't build webs. I think the term wolf spider has become a common name that is used for many species now. @Holly---with a wolf spider they have a defining characteristic which is the eyes. They have a pair of eyes that are much larger than the rest of their eyes.
MartinL
A wolf spider will never build a web. They run on the ground actively hunting for prey (like a wolf). This is one of a huge number of orb spiders that build a round (orb-shaped) web, and wait for some food to fly by.
Apple
This does not look like a wolf spider to me. Plus its web does not seem like the web of a wolf spider as they are more known to catch their prey in a predatory head-on way.
Photographed
PublishedJanuary 4, 2012

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