Orb-weaver Spider

Description:

Araneidae; Neoscona; N. theisi Walckenaer, 1841. This spider was at the centre of a large web constructed on the trellis supporting tomato plants. Its web was quite vertical and the spider was resting in the normal head-down orientation. I really wanted to get a ventral photo, but the trellis and the plants did not allow a view from the other side. According to Wikipedia, individuals within the species vary in colouration. The World Spider Catalog confirms the presence of this species in Philippines.

Habitat:

I spotted this spider in our vegetable plot in the early evening just as it was becoming dark. Its web was on the trellis supporting tomato plants.

Notes:

Good pictures of male and female specimens - https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/360671-...