dead spider found in house

Toby · #1 (**permalink**) 01-11-2009, 10:14 PM

body 4mm, front legs 15mm

rangersarah2 · #2 (**permalink**) 01-11-2009, 10:22 PM

Toby, what makes you photograph dead spiders?

Hedera · #3 (**permalink**) 01-11-2009, 10:30 PM

'Cos they don't run away!
Seriously though, this is a very dead Araneus diademata male, probably come in for a warm or a mate.

Toby · #4 (**permalink**) 02-11-2009, 12:27 AM

see a lot of the females of course, good to know what the male looks like.

Jason Green · #5 (**permalink**) 02-11-2009, 01:05 AM

Hi Toby,

Agree with the 'Hed - Araneus diadematus.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangersarah2

Toby, what makes you photograph dead spiders?

The fact that it's dead isn't relevant, I think he was just curious as to which species it used to be.

Take care,

Jason

Vincent86 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-11-2009, 11:26 AM

It does look like the Araneus diadematus.

Additional info - Araneus diadematus is one of the most common and best known orb weavers. It is easily identified by the distinctive white cross on the abdomen (although in some specimens it is indistinct or missing). This spider is most commonly called in England the 'garden spider', it is also known as the cross spider.