European garden spider (Araneus diadematus)

🕸️ Overview

The European Garden Spider, also known as the Cross Orb-weaver, is one of the most recognizable spiders in Europe and North America. Famous for its classic orb-shaped web and distinctive white cross marking on its back, it’s a harmless yet fascinating arachnid often seen in late summer and autumn.

🔍 Identification

The white cross is made of dense guanine spots, forming a cruciform pattern that gives the species its common name.

🕷️ Behavior

• Web-builder: Spins a new web daily, often in the same spot.
• Waits in the center or hides at the edge with a signal thread connecting to the hub.
• Uses vibrations to detect and locate trapped prey.
• Diurnal but may retreat during the hottest part of the day.

🍽️ Diet

• Eats flies, wasps, mosquitoes, and other flying insects.
• Wraps prey in silk and delivers a venomous bite to immobilize it.
• Will often store wrapped prey to eat later.

💘 Mating & Reproduction

• Mating occurs in late summer/early autumn.
• Males approach cautiously to avoid being mistaken for prey.
• After mating, the female lays several hundred eggs in a silk sac.
• Spiderlings hatch in spring and disperse by ballooning (riding air currents on silk threads).

🧠 Interesting Facts

• The web’s design can vary depending on wind, anchor points, and prey activity.
• Harmless to humans: bites are rare and mild, similar to a bee sting if they occur.
• Plays a key role in controlling flying insect populations.
• One of the best-known orb-weaving spiders in both Europe and North America.

🌿 Habitat

• Common in:
  • Gardens
  • Hedgerows
  • Woodland edges
  • Urban areas (fences, eaves, railings)
• Prefers sunny, sheltered spots with nearby vegetation or structures to anchor its web.

📸 How to Spot Them

• Look for large orb webs early in the morning or with dew highlighting silk.
• From late summer to October, they’re at their largest and most visible.