I found this little guy hanging onto the fence i have around my small veggie patch. Around here, orbweaver spiders have started coming out as we are nearing autumn, and i am mostly used to seeing either the common brown garden orbweaver, or the black and yellow specked type. But never have i seen one that has purple markings, and a spiked looking abdomen! Is this just another variety of orbweaver maybe?
It is indeed an orb weaver; likely this one - http://www.discoverlife.org/nh/tx/Arachnida/Araneae/Araneidae/Micrathena/sagitta/
i would say thats exactly it then, as i recognize the top side of it. amazing how much diversity there is just within the orbweaver spiders alone. This is the first time ever seeing this type for me, i mostly see these guys:
http://www.spiderzrule.com/Spidersize02_small.jpg
And one of these every now and then:
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/wp-content/uploads//2009/08/yellow_garden_spider_brenda.jpg
