Our yard has been taken over by these guys. Xy calls 'em "crab spiders" but apparently there are many arachnids that go by that moniker. Using the internet I identified this as Gasteracantha elipsoides or Gasteracantha cancriformis. Actually it has a couple dozen taxonomic synonyms and a bunch of common names to boot, including the star spider, spiny-bellied orbweaver, crab-like spiny orbweaver spider, jewel spider, jewel box spider or smiley face spider.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasteracantha_cancriformis

These marbled orb weavers just hatched on my patio a few days ago.

Pipeline Road, Colón District, Colón Province, Panama

These marbled orb weavers just hatched on my patio a few days ago.

Howard County Conservancy Biolblitz. Maryland Biodiversity Project

Arabesque Orbweaver. (Neoscona arabesca).

Village Creek Drying Beds. Arlington, Texas.

Tarrant County. 30 June 2019.

Nikon D7500. AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f2.8G IF-ED.

f16 @ 1/500 sec. ISO 4000.

My Dad found this little spider when we were out hiking today at Pilcher Park, Joliet. I think it is a Trashline Spider (Cyclosa), Cyclosa conica. It was about 4mm. Heres an article that explains the "trashline" name:

greennature.com/gallery/spider-pictures/cyclosa.html

Male Araneus marmoreus - Marbled Orbweaver for Arachtober 29th

Chamber's Brook

Branchburg, NJ

A furrow orbweaver (Larinioides cornutus) preparing her prey. I think the insect is a bee, although I'm not sure.

These little guys are so vibrant!

They were taking over the restrooms at Great Falls last time I was there.

Larinioides cornutus

Arachtober 3, 2010

Just about every Fall around October I usually find a timely themed "Pumpkin" spider (Marbled Orbweaver) outside around the house. Armed with my Canon 100mm macro and

Upon close inspection she had a very nice set of fangs.

I've done my best dance moves after walking into one of these webs!

golden silk orbweaver

Orchard Orbweaver

In the up quarter of the photo is the male, he is tiny and approaches the female with caution. The female if four times larger than the female and she will eat the male if he is not careful in his approach and departure after rocking her world.

This impressive and a bit scary Orb Weaver Spider had set up shop next to the porch light on my sons front porch. No doubt it favors being by the porch light for the lights ability to draw in a steady supply of lunch and dinner entrees, and he definitely looked like he has been eating well,ha ha. Thanks to my son Jason also for holding the external flash in the vicinity of the spider for a little more dramatic lighting effect.

For those who dont care for spiders all that much sorry, but this guy was too cool to pass by.

Kent Ridge, Singapore

Circle B Bar, 11/02/2022

As I pointed my macro lens towards this tiny Orb Weaver Spider it ran to the edge of its web to a plant stem to hide. I like the tiny little black eyes shining back at me.

Caw Caw Interpretive Center - garden

Micrathena gracilis female. Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC, USA.

Family: Araneidae. Species: Eustala anastera (Walckenaer, 1841). (Salem, MA)

"Nephila clavipes"

Ekgurkspindel

Troy Meadows, New Jersey

Relevant blog post - daveblinder.wordpress.com/2014/10/08/critical-focus-in-ph...

© DRB 2014 all rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction for any reason is prohibited.

Verrucosa arenata. Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC, USA.

Bardia NP, Nepal

Welcome to the dark side.

Abdominal view of a Spiny-backed Orbweaver Spider (Gasteracantha cancriformis). Taken at Mayakka State Park, Sarasota, Florida.

These marbled orb weavers just hatched on my patio a few days ago.

Easy to miss her in the center of the web.