Subject: Largw Unknown Spider
Location: Austin, TX on a tree
June 7, 2015 6:08 pm
This lovely spider is living on my friend’s back porch, but we don’t know what it is. Austin, TX June 6. Builds a huge ~2+’×3+’ web.
Signature: -Bill
Dear Bill,
This is a very well camouflaged Giant Lichen Orbweaver, Araneus bicentenarius, that according to BugGuide is found in: “Woodlands, on trees, among lichens.” As we will be away from the office later in the month, we are postdating your submission to go live during our absence.
We have a female Great Lichen Orbweaver living on our porch too, although we live in the UK. From what I can see they come from the US and Canada, do you know of many living in the UK or how it could have arrived here?
It might be a similar looking European relative. See Nature Spot.