Spider ID - No picture though...

[jpsl]

Hi everyone!

Today I was doing some reed bed clearing with the Avon Wildlife Trust at Lawrence Weston, Bristol when someone found a red spider, and had black spots on its back. Sadly, someone had tossed the spider away before I got to take a picture of it : ( After a brief internet search, it did look somewhat like a ladybird spider, but I know they're really rare so I was wondering if anyone knows of any other spider that looks like a ladybird spider. Only additional detail I can give is that it is around 1.5cm long.

Thanks!

jpsl.

[No.9 Spider]

Unfortunately the colour variation on our native species is quite variable and not therefore reliable to hazard a guess with any accuracy, and also peoples perception of spiders is very variable. Obviously it won't be the Ladybird spider as both location and conditions are wrong.
Given the location and 'similarity' to the Ladybird spider, I'd suggest (sizewise) it may be one of the Araneidae, or Orb Weavers. Have a look at examples of Araneus species and in particular Larinioides sp.


No.9 Spider