CLOSED: Help ID spider please, seen in southern GA, USA

Valdosta, GA(Zone 8a)

What this picture didn't capture: I had a scoop of cat food in my hand before dawn, and as I was leaning over to pour it in sweet Ashley's bowl, I ran into all kinds of webbing. I shrieked, for no one to hear, rural living and husband in deep sleep, and cat food went everywhere. I called my sweet Aussie, Maggie, in for clean up. Ordinarily cat food is a no-no for her, but rules are meant to be bent. Mid-morning, I was able to see the architectural genius. I tried google image search first and its best guess was a spider. That much I knew. If you cock your head to the left, you'll see it gave me a lovely smile for the camera.

This message was edited May 19, 2016 10:12 AM

Thumbnail by leigham
(Zone 5a)

Very cute spider, but I would probably jump like you did if I came face to face with one unexpectedly. Doing a search for Georgia spider with a smile on its back found me this page: (scroll about halfway)
http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2010/01/26/8-smiling-spiders-that-make-you-feel-warm-and-fuzzy/
So very likely it is a Orchard Spider (Leucauge venusta). I hope you can release it outside safely.

This message was edited May 19, 2016 8:59 AM

Valdosta, GA(Zone 8a)

I forgot to mention that this was on a covered front porch, sides open, so Orch is happily undisturbed though a bit of its home will have to be rebuilt. lol Thank you for your reply--I learned something else from it--I have seen spinybacked orbweavers in the woods here, but didn't know what they were either. I don't know too much about spiders, but find them fascinatingly beautiful to photograph.

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