This is an orbweaver. Its common name is Yellow Garden Spider. This one is huge!!! I think it's the biggest one I've seen. I didn't get anywhere near it! I love my zoom for shots like this. I get to see what it looks like upclose, without getting close. :0)
You can get really close to these...as long as you're not an insect in the web, she will not move! I believe that this one is female. The males are smaller and not as round. I researched them last summer when I had one in my garden. For the first pic I took, I was sweating and really nervous. Then I read about them and started getting bolder and she didn't care....move in closer! You'll be so proud of yourself. :-) Oh and we got to see her wrap a grasshopper. It was sooo very cool!
Great capture, Carolyn. Agree with @5unflow3r that you should get closer. They'll stay very firmly in their webs and no chance they'll harm you unless you try to grab them (and I'm guessing you won't be doing that!)
