Nursery Web spiders

[ellen h]

Found quite a few of these today.
Came across a few with orangy yellow stripes.Is this just a colour variation or does it signify sex/age?
Thanks in advance,only recently realised how fascinating spiders are!!
ellen

[Geoff F]

Don't know if it is just in my part of the country but there appears to be an exceptional number of these spiders this year.

They are rather variable in colour and the males tend to be more colourfully marked. Not sure if the variation is random or there is some genetic input here.

For me, the first ID clue is those paired front legs. Not sure if any other spider does this, but I can't think of any other commonly found species.

The trouble with finding spiders interesting is that it can become a time consuming an expensive hobby. Identification takes a lot of book thumbing (except for the experts who have most of the answers in their heads) and then there are the bigger and better macro lenses, plus a better tripod, etc.

[ellen h]

Thanks for the reply Geoff,
As you say there are so many different spiders to look out for,am just fascinated to see the different types I have come across on my walks.Think it also makes a difference when you walk with a camera in hand,you tend to look for objects/subjects to try it out on-well I do!!!
ellen

[Wild-Woman]

These spiders love sun-bathing. If you run your shadow over them they tend to run off.