Bordered Orb Weaver Neoscona adianta

This attractive spider is the Bordered Orb Weaver. Sources give its UK locations as Kent, Sussex and Wales, but all on this page were in a nature reserve in North London. It is also prevalent on the European mainland. Females grow up to 7mm long (head and body). It stretches out in its web across the tall grass to catch prey (above right) and hides on a grass sheath with its long legs wrapped along the grass when startled (above left). (Looks a little similar to the Oak Spider, Aculepeira ceropegia.)