One of the largest spider species native to Britain, the Garden Cross Spider is commonly found in woodland, grassland and gardens and its colour can vary from orange to black.

This arachnid loves to eat insects and it spends hours weaving elaborate webs to trap its meals. Its favourite foods include flies, wasps and butterflies to whom it administers a paralysing bite before it is wrapped up in silk and saved for later.

The webs of this species can be up to 40cm in diameter, while the spider itself is just 13mm including its legs.

The main predators of the Garden Cross Spider are birds.