spider identification? please :)

[2legdog]

hi all, i have a spider outside my window approx 1cm long (without legs), legs are around 1 inch or slightly less and very thick and unusual. it is brownish/blackish with light yellowish/white markings most noticable on the legs.
location is north of ireland.

i am going to try and upload some photos, hope it works
the pics arent very clear zoomed in so i know it will be hard to tell but would appreciate any help at all.THANKS

if it would help i can try to get better pics when its bright tommorow. also the stripey markings are more noticable at night almost luminous if that makes any sense?lol
(could be just that i have my lights on inside then )

thanks again,
dog

[Venger]

Very hard to tell what this is from those photos.

a couple of possiblities to check out:

Nuctenea umbratica (Nuctenea umbratica photos and info)
Zygiella x-notata (Zygiella x-notata photos and info)

[2legdog]

hi venger, thanks it does look like one of those or maybe even a linyphiidae-sheetweb weaver, as the web seems to be streched across the top of window and the markings are similar as well.
will favourite that euro site also,
thank you,
dog

[Action_Man]

Are you happy with the stated size of this spider ?, because its seems rather large for the suggestions so far ...

[No.9 Spider]

Well it's not a Linyphiidae that's for sure, one of the Araneidae for sure.




No. 9 Spider

[2legdog]

hi all, action, not exact measurements and i havent seen it appear today yet, are the sheet weavers very small? as the eurospider site doesnt seem to give a scale for these, but the markings are similar and the web does resemble a sheet slightly, will look into it now.

no9, you are probably right but after looking at so many on eurospiders im a bit confused and forget what i actually seen yesterday, pretty common for me

i will try to get a good pic later, just so long as its not very dangerous or anything,lol then i can open my window.
all these stories about fruit imports, and the sheer volume of large spiders these days just seems to be growing the past few years, global warming possibly?

thanks for the advice everybody,
dog

[No.9 Spider]

Originally Posted by Venger

Very hard to tell what this is from those photos.

a couple of possiblities to check out:

Nuctenea umbratica (Nuctenea umbratica photos and info)
Zygiella x-notata (Zygiella x-notata photos and info)

Have you checked out the species that Venger quoted above? in particular Nuctenea umbratica?
Linyphiidae are generally small and slightly built, and also your spider is in an orb web in the vertical rather than a horizontal sheet web.

No.9 Spider

[Action_Man]

One thing that could be helpful also, does this spider stay positioned in the center of the web ?, or does it only come out to catch the prey ? ...

[2legdog]

ok got more pics, seems to be nocturnal anyway or very sneaky at least lol.

looks like it may have the missing section like one mentioned earlier.

closer

1 more


actionman, it seems to only turn up around dusk then stay in that above position, seems sort of under the web around the center, havent noticed any prey being caught but it does dissappear now and again so probably off for a snack.
spiderno9, it does seem like the nuctenea umbratica, or something from that family anyway.
it doesnt look half as bad now having seen some the others online .
thanks again for the advice this is a nice wee site
dog.

[Action_Man]

Does the web have a section missing ?, as per the linked image below ...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...giella_web.jpg