Spider i.d. please

[Words]

I saw this keeping guard just under the garage eaves. It doesn't look like the usual garden spider so any i.d pointers appreciated.

[tombong1]

It looks like a large woodland spider but im no expert. It looks like the same spider that you get in the orchads at fhe bottom of my garden they are huge.

[Words]

Thanks for the pointer Tom! I'm terrible with identifying spiders. It wasn't that large actually, about 2cm end to end.

[Venger]

It's a Zygiella x-notata.
Almost always found around our houses and other buildings.
Usually called the missing sector spider, or missing sector orb weaver.
(I'm sure there is another name for them, but it's slipped my mind)
Fun little spiders that stay active for quite a while in the colder months (though they like it warm)

Enjoy!

[Words]

Thanks Venger! Nice one.

[tombong1]

oh well thats told me, fair play

[Words]

Tom, never mind. I appreciate the effort. I'm hopeless at spiders, but I really ought to put something in the shots for scale.

[Venger]

If you can get it on grid paper that would be great! (long as you tell us the size of the grid!)

Also an underneath shot would be good as well - depends on how good your camera is.

[Words]

No grid, but is the sort of thing you mean

[Venger]

While the sternum is good at aiding an ID (at least for some species , like Tegenaria) the more important stuff is on the abdomen, but mainly/only if they are female.
Do you see those 2 little black dots on the abdomen in that picture, with the little 'snout' - that would be the epigyne (or epigynal opening).It's studying structures like these (and the male palps) which allows you to ID to a species level.
Other good areas are the spinners (not forgetting the legs, toes, spines and trichobothrium!)
Some are easier than others and sometimes it doesn't help if they are still juveniles!
Welcome to the world of spider ID!!

It is fun, but you can't give 100% id from a photo (unless you have a really good camera, and sometimes a microscope too!)