WEB SIGHT

With the arrival of autumn, you may be noticing more dewy spider webs in your garden, when numbers of mature Araneus diadematus are at their peak. Commonly called the European garden spider or crowned orb weaver, their bodies are large – at around 13mm – and they’re easy to spot because of their cruciform markings, although the abdomen colour can vary from yellow or red-brown to almost black. The larger females build orb webs with their specialised legs, then hang in the centre or hide nearby to wait for their prey.