Shamrock Orbweaver Araneus trifolium
Araneus trifolium females are common in our yard* in late summer through early fall. They typically make bowers—also, but less poetically, called “retreats”—ranging from simple to elaborate. The bower is usually about 1 meter off the ground, typically made of grass strands and/or seed heads tied together with silk, around 3 cm wide, and located to the side of the web. Webs often appear to be suspended from a stout, horizontal strand of silk that can be several feet long.
1. male and female 2. male (measured) 3. web, bower to left
4. female (measured) 5. female ventral 5. bower
I took some of these photos using fill flash. I took most of these photos over a period of a few days in late August through mid September, 2010.
* About 2,000 feet elevation south of Port Angeles, WA.