A french Araneus

Mom sent me a picture of a spider that we get every year in our backyard in Brittany, France. This spider, which she photographed in the shrubs by one of the yard fences, is an orb-weaver of the genus Araneus. The species appears to be diadematus (a.k.a. Cross Orbweaver, or Garden Spider), as suggested by the elongated white spots in the front of the abdomen that are arranged in the shape of a cross. A. diadematus is common in Europe, but it can also be found in parts of North America.  Females usually sit face down in the web, or hide in a retreat near the web. The retreat is connected to the web by a special silk line so that the spider can quickly move between the two locations. The abdomen of A. diadematus has two "shoulder humps" in the front, as seen in the picture below. The back of the abdomen has a leaf-shaped pattern (folium) with scalloped margins. This species varies in color and in markings (the "cross" in some individuals is sometimes indistinct).

 Araneus diadematus with prey item wrapped in silk