Just as large and hairy as the Spotted Orbweaver I posted a while back but a lot more beautiful.
Marbled Orbweaver-Araneus marmoreus. I don’t know if this is true for all this species but unlike the Spotted and other orbweavers this one didn’t devour its web and it was there for several days. Pretty beat up and tattered and didn’t have anything caught in the sticky strands.
When I bumped a fern that had a small strand attached the spider ran up the web and into it’s little refuge in a curled up blueberry leaf. Good thing too because shortly after these images were made the sky opened up for a while. About dime-size, these are highly variable in color and patterning.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
Beautiful indeed. I don’t recall ever seeing a spider’s two rear legs held together the way they are in your top picture.
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Same here. I thought that an odd position for them. The next time I saw the spider the feet were in a normal orientation.
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The patterns on its abdomen remind me of various hoverfly designs. It’s a pretty little thing.
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Good observation. This was my second sighting in the yard and I am pleased that this species may be a permanent resident.
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Beautiful pattern!
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The first time I observed this spider it was after dark by flashlight and I was immediately taken with the abdomen’s pattern. Then the red thorax and striped legs caught my eye.
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Pretty cute spider. Maybe too much ‘humanimorphizing’, but is that a redheaded girl?
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Yes, she is a redhead. Well, the head and thorax are red. The abdomen is what initially impressed me but then the rest caught my attention as well.
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Orbweavers are fantastic. I love the photo and story of this one on the blueberry leaf.
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Thanks, Todd! Apparently she felt all warm and cozy in the blueberry leaf refuge and stayed there and reused the web for several days. They usually recycle their silk as protein and rebuild.
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Superb photography (again) of a really gorgeous specimen!
Definitely one of the more handsome members of the family.
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She’s a pretty one for sure. We don’t have that large a yard, although close to an acre is large in many respects. I am amazed at the variety of insects and species I find here. It isn’t rare for me to “discover” a new species every day or two. Thanks, Wally!
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