B.K., Newlyn.

This is one of the garden spiders, or garden orb weavers. It is a moderately large spider making an intricate “cartwheel” web nearly a metre across. Two or three stubby points on its abdomen help identify it.

This spider hangs upside down in its web until disturbed, when it usually drops onto vegetation, or runs to supporting plants. In sunny weather it often hides in attached vegetation until the evening. Most of its activity is at night. It is usually found in gardens or in rough grassy country, or in light forest.

Despite its size and its rather hairy appearance, it is regarded as harmless to humans.