Pumpkin spider, that is.
The Daily Bucket is a regular feature of the Backyard Science group. It is a place to note any observations you have made of the world around you. Snails, fish, insects, weather, meteorites, climate, birds and/or flowers. All are worthy additions to the bucket. Please let us know what is going on around you in a comment. Include, as close as is comfortable for you, where you are located.
Araneus trifolium?
Spiders and their webs are everywhere at this time of year. Sometimes, you'll see a bulbous orange spider, looking like a pumpkin, in its web. Not surprisingly, people call them Pumpkin spiders.
The beauty pictured above showed up in a friend's garage. My tentative ID by browsing bugguide.net is Araneus trifolium (Shamrock orbweaver). There are a number of different species in the family Araneidae (Orb Weavers), commonly called Garden spiders, can fit the description of a Pumpkin spider. Among them, Araneus diadematus (Cross orbweaver or European garden spider) and Araneus marmoreus (Marbled Orbweaver). I just concentrated on the ones that might show up in the NE corner of the Olympic Peninsula.
It's your turn - please, fill the bucket. Do you have spiders in your area that you call Pumpkin spiders?
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