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| 1 | 2 | 3 |  » Stats |
Members: 48,644
Threads: 78,870
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Top Poster: glsammy (14,777)
| | Welcome to our newest member, adams01 | |  | | 
27-09-2009, 10:49 PM
| | New Member | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bromley, Kent.
Posts: 7
| | | Magnificent spider
Hi there
My husband and I are always interested in the world around us. Yesterday we took down our garden fence, which has badly needed replacing for years, and found four tiny froglets, stopping to admire each one before moving them somewhere out of harm's way....it's good to see them coming back.
Anyhow, spiders;
I pulled some rhubarb in the afternoon and discovered a massive spider under a leaf, the like of which I have never seen before. I got some good photos, but unfortunately can't post attachments yet. It was something like an orb web spider in design, but creamy white, and a good inch and a half long. Any idea what it might be, anyone? |
27-09-2009, 10:56 PM
|  | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,452
| | | Re: Magnificent spider
Ho ML, and welcome to WAB 
Glad you've got a photo! That'll help greatly.
Upload it here - Login - Wild About Britain Pics - and when it's uploaded, paste the Forum Code that is in a text box under the photo, into your next post. It will then show up for us.
Take care, Jason  |
27-09-2009, 11:22 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 2,912
| | | Re: Magnificent spider
When you say an inch and a half long, I presume you are includin the legs and not just the body. 1.5 inches on the body gets you a hefty spider in the tropics, there is nothing in this country that comes in at 1/2 that size, even allowing for fishermans rights.
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Genio Terrę Britannicę |
28-09-2009, 04:11 PM
| | New Member | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bromley, Kent.
Posts: 7
| | | Re: Magnificent spider
|
28-09-2009, 04:12 PM
| | New Member | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bromley, Kent.
Posts: 7
| | | Re: Magnificent spider
Wooooo I did it! And yes, it was an inch and a half including legs.
Any ideas, anybody? |
28-09-2009, 04:41 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,452
| | | Re: Magnificent spider
Yay! Well done. I think that's a pale Four-spot Orb-weaver, Araneous quadratus in Latin. One I'm still waiting for! |
28-09-2009, 06:31 PM
| | Wild Member | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chiswick
Posts: 226
| | | Re: Magnificent spider
I think this is a pale Areneus diadematus, they come in all colours and shades. The distinctive 4 spots are much bigger on A quadratus. M. |
28-09-2009, 06:34 PM
|  | Active Member | | Join Date: May 2009 Location: Dorset
Posts: 38
| | | Re: Magnificent spider
Quote:
Originally Posted by mickmassie  I think this is a pale Areneus diadematus, they come in all colours and shades. The distinctive 4 spots are much bigger on A quadratus. M. | I agree, the rear two spots are missing altogether. If you look on the spider's more exposed right side, you can just make out the zig-zag line on Areneus diadematus.
I've been out in the garden today taking photographs of Areneus diadematus, and somthing about this spider's markings rang loud bells!
Very beautiful spider though, a colour variation I've never seen before. Grat find! |
28-09-2009, 07:10 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,452
| | | Re: Magnificent spider
To me, it's still A. quadratus. Compare with http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ga...ratus_smal.jpg
Based on: the same punctures unequally spaced ( two closer in proximity near the carapace), the white markings match well and continue down the abdomen up to the carapace ( they're thicker and stop shy of it due to the zig-zag band around the abdomen) and the abdomen is perfectly round ( usually looks longer and narrower, tapers, in A. diadematus). To me anyway! 
Last edited by Jason Green; 28-09-2009 at 07:16 PM.
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28-09-2009, 08:22 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 2,912
| | | Re: Magnificent spider
It is Araneus quadratus, heavily gravid. Pretty soon she will produce large numbers of eggs, the shape of the abdomen will change to a much smaller size (surprise!) and change colour. The paleness is partly due to distension of the chromatophores, as they become more compact the colour will change. I had one a couple of years ago that was slightly darker than the one shown here, after she had dropped her eggs the body became a dark red.
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