Insect and Spider Identification: Spider Identification, Northern California, 1 by Brian925

Brian925 wrote:
Hello garden friends,

These spiders have completely taken over our whole neighborhood in the last couple months. There are often 2 or 3 large ones in groups like they're trying to build a neighborhood of their own. In the 5 years we've been here, it's definitely a first, and these guys are EVERYWHERE with huge thick webs. I got a pretty good belly shot here, but if it's too hard to identify, I can get brave and get one of their tops. I assume they have migrated because of the strange climate changes this year. Thanks for looking! They range from about a quarter of an inch to half an inch tall.