Garden spider, Araneus diadematus.
The garden spider is one of the UK’s largest spider species identified by a distinctive white cross on the abdomen. Its overall colour can vary however, ranging from red-orange to almost black. The female lays her eggs in a silken cocoon which she never leaves, protecting them until the late autumn when she will succumb to the cold and die. The eggs will not hatch until May, emerging in a mass bundle of spiderlings. Reproducing is a precarious experience for male garden spiders, as they may be killed and eaten by the female after mating.
