Golden Orb Weaver spider with mummified food sac on web, Phippsburg Maine, early September
A Cross Spider, the biggest one I have ever seen, trying to subdue a dragonfly caught in its web. Cross spiders are orb weaver spiders. They spin an elaborate web to capture prey. They build a new web every day. This one attempted to tackle this dragonfly three times before being able to subdue it. The dragonfly put up a great fight. Once the spider fell to the ground, a distance that for a human would have been about 50 feet! It climbed all the way back to its web, which took over two hours. Oh, the drama!
Cross Spider Araneus diadematus Also known as European garden spider, Diadem spider, or Cross Orbweaver Family Araneidae (Orb Weavers). This one had captured a dragonfly in its web and was wrapping it for eating later. Phippsburg, Maine
