Leucauge venusta
(Orchard Orb-weaver)

Comments & ID Thoughts

There were at least a dozen of these in one rhododendron bush this morning. The red spot on the abdomen seemed to glow like retroreflective particles even in diffuse lighting with morning mist. Radial webs with thinner silk in the inner rings. I tried to show scale with multiple photos. Guessing these are recently hatched young? Or very small adults? Sorry for the poor resolution; my macro lens hood would’ve damaged the webs, because it’s cheap and I’m shaky.

• Submitted by: 
  
  velvetmarmoset
• Submitted: Oct 4, 2018
• Photographed: Oct 4, 2018
• Spider: Leucauge venusta (Orchard Orb-weaver)
• Maturity: 
  Immature
• Location: Douglas, Massachusetts, United States
• Spotted Outdoors: Low foliage (shrubs, herbs, garden, excluding flowers)
• Found in web?: Yes
• Attributes: Spiderlings, Ventral, Webs