A Marble-ous, Araneus Day!

I was excited about this one.  A spider more difficult to I.D. than I expected.  It’s a different genus than our other large Orb Weaver, which is genus Neoscona, posted here Sept. 7.   I searched around internet, went to List of Ohio Spiders - by OSU - to confirm occurrence, then back to BugGuide.net  ~ This appears to be Araneus marmoreus - a Marbled Orbweaver ~

This species is incredibly variable in coloring, from typical orange, to bright yellow, pale to white, even white with black. I think mine is the most beautiful ~ the abdomen is like a Ukrainian painted egg! Or a hermit crab with a custard swirled shell!  My photo doesn't do it justice…

Her web was like a sheer sail in the wind, and she moved about, hurriedly repairing the strands. And there I was, backed against a pine tree with needles dropping down my shirt, as I tried to compose a photo.

I’d say I’m tickled, but I’m really itchy. It was like suicide by encephalitis out there today!  Mosquito shift change overlap.  Maybe I was one last buffet before the mosquitoes were blown away by the cool wind.  I'm still counting the bumps ~

I’ll stop now… We have at least two of these large Marbled Orbweavers. The other snuck back up under an overhang while I was getting my camera. We also have at least four Neoscona (crucifera?) barn spiders surrounding the house, in addition to a dozen funnel web spiders, and company.

Anyone have an arachnophobe you would like to torture?