Photo of the Week: Can You Identify This Spider?

How cool is this!

A big thanks to Palm Harbor Patch reader Jim Olson for sharing this awesome photo with us. Jim spotted this spotted spider weaving a web outside his office window on Wednesday!

We've never seen a spider as unusual as this. Do you know what kind of spider it is?

Jim says it's a Spiny orb-weaver. Wikipedia also has a good photo of this type of spider (Jim, we like your photo better!).  If you look closely at the photo, you can see that the spider has red spikes, youch! The spikes make the spider look like a tough guy, but Wikipedia says its bites are generally harmless.

Spiny-orb weavers can grow up to 30 mm in diameter.

Do you have a photo you'd like to share? Email it to: sunde.farquhar@patch.com