I know I'm jumping around today. I go from a sad death to a very beautiful live critter. Be assured I did NOT kill this beautiful lady who came to visit me this afternoon. I first saw her right in front of the window behind my computer! I know she wanted me to take her picture. I got out my clean glass jar and picked up my camera and captured her and brought her inside for examination. She's not a rare one around here but also is not a danger to any one except her prey.
After her photo shots she was then released to rebuild her spiral wheel-shaped web and catch her dinner. I had interrupted her work.
"Orb weaving spiders are harmless to people and should be left alone. It is tempting to say ignore them but you should take the opportunity to watch these fascinating creatures. And they are quite photogenic for anyone with a camera. At any rate, they will die on their own as the weather becomes colder."
She was shy at first...
Then she uncovered her body a bit...
And then exposed her full figure in all its glory!
Marbled Orbweaver
(Araneus marmoreus)
The genus Araneus has about 1,500 species worldwide, making it the largest of all the spider genera. Araneus marmoreus is found throughout all of Canada to Alaska, the northern Rockies, from North Dakota to Texas, and then east to the Atlantic. It is one of our showiest orbweavers.
Description
Adult female marbled orbweavers are 9 to 20 millimeters in length with very large abdomens that are mostly orange with brown to purple markings and spots of pale yellow. Occasionally the abdomens are nearly white in color. The cephalothorax is yellow to burnt-orange with a central dark line and dark lines down either side. The femora and patellae are orange.
Argiope trifasciata female
Araneus marmoreus female
http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/uf019.pdf
