Courtship amongst the Michaelmas daisies

This little beauty is Metellina segmentata and she's spun her rather untidy web between the developing flower heads of the Michaelmas daisies in our garden. Once the flowers open and start to attract insects she'll have a constant supply of prey in her snare.

And this is her consort, a male Metellina segmentata who also lurks on the edge of her web, keeping close watch on her and the web. When an insect is caught they both rush into the web but he grabs it first, wraps it in silk and presents it to her as a gift.

Yesterday I watched while he presented her with his gift, then while she was preoccupied with her meal he mated with her. He's a smooth operator.

One species, three disguises: three beautiful spiders

I have had real difficulty in identifying these three spiders, all found at the weekend, but now, thanks to help from Dave Jewsbury at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, it's clear that they are all the same species - Metallina segmentata, which is described in spider guides as being 'extremely variable in markings and colour'. You can say that again .....

Thanks Dave.

This one lurks in a Genista bush in our garden ...

...... and this beauty was hiding between the leaves of an elm near the river Wear at Wolsingham. Those markings on the abdomen call to mind a fine cracked glaze on a high quality ceramic.

Finally, this one was sunning itself on a brome grass stem.