Nuctenea umbratica, Berlin

[diadematus]

Here's a little visitor to our kitchen that I found last night. You can see that she wasn't too happy about her temporary incarceration.

About 11mm long. I kept her for the night; gave her a freshly dead fly and a moist piece of paper towel. By morning she had devoured the fly and built a bit of web, but was hiding out under the paper towel. My Roberts guide says they are active nights.

Since I didn't have room for another orb weaver, I released her on the balcony, under the frost protection burlap covering a potted plant.

Thanks to the folks at Martin Lemke's Forum for the ID.

-Kevin

 

[SouthernStyle]

Good Lookin' Little Spider, nice Job on the Pic of her!

 

[diadematus]

Here's a more frontal shot, showing the eye arrangement...

 

[diadematus]

I just discovered that the common name for these is "walnut orb-weavers", but I also see that they are referred to as "crevice spiders".