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.
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