365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Friday, September 11, 2015
Cross Orbweaver, Araneus Diadematus
Day 333: I've always called these "big triangular garden spiders," frequently prefaced with a scream when I discover I've walked into one of their webs and don't immediately know whether or not it was occupied. Fortunately in this case, my subject was on the outside of the window and I was inside which, incidentally, afforded an unusual dorsal view. Araneus diadematus usually presents its ventral aspect, belly to the light. It also invariably hangs head-downward unless hunting. Madame Cross Orbweaver had already scored her dinner and was in the process of putting away the leftovers when this photo was taken. Whatever hapless insect it might have been, she drew it carefully to her mouth parts, rolling it in web fibers as she did so, perhaps mistaking me for a larger predator. You may wonder how I know to call her by a female pronoun. Look at that abdomen. She's bulging with eggs, loaded with potential little baby spiders. Unfortunately for us both, members of this species seem to delight in placing their egg cases directly above my exits. Worse than having this lovely lady crawling up your sock is walking into a curtain of thousands of tiny golden baby Orbweavers, something I manage to do at least once every autumn.
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