Araniella cucurbitina sensu lato – One of the more colourful spiders with a delightful common name. They are only small. You can tell how big it is by the fragment of moss it is clinging to in the top image whilst it is pretending to be ‘Super Spider’. Double-click images to enlarge.
© Peter Hillman ♦ 26th April 2020 ♦ Rear garden, South Staffordshire ♦ Nikon D7200
There are two Cucumber Green Spiders which are quite common in Britain and look very much the same. There is this one, Araniella cucurbitina, or even this one, Araniella opisthographa. Confused? You should be, because I was. So to clarify, the species featured could be either one mentioned for they look virtually the same, and only under a microscope will you tell the difference. So thus the ‘sensu lato’ tagged on the end of the Latin name, which basically means ‘in the broad sense’, and so both species can be recorded under this tag where it is not possible to tell them apart due to their similarities.
Please click on an image for a larger more detailed view. Clicking a second time may get you a little closer.
Rear garden, Staffordshire, England. June 2017.
Nature Journeys 