Garden Spider

Araneus diadematus

As temperatures warm, young spiders disperse from their egg sacs and begin building their first webs between flower stems. They’re the ultimate garden allies, with each spider consuming hundreds of flying insects that would otherwise damage plants. Watch for their geometric orb webs adorned with morning dew – each web takes about an hour to construct and is rebuilt daily. Female garden spiders can grow impressively large by autumn, with some reaching 20mm in body length. They’re completely harmless to humans and play a vital role in maintaining garden ecosystem balance.