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Photo#35956
Paralyzed Orb Weaver - Episyron biguttatus - female

Paralyzed Orb Weaver - Episyron biguttatus - Female
Acadia Ntl park, Maine, USA
July 23, 2005
Yes indeed, there is a white spot on the abdomen (barely visible in the first picture, so I've added another one) that led me to Episyron.

Images of this individual: tag all
Paralyzed Orb Weaver - Araneus nordmanni Paralyzed Orb Weaver - Episyron biguttatus - female Paralyzed Orb Weaver - Episyron biguttatus - female

Moved
Moved from Episyron.

Episyron biguttatus biguttatus
After seeing many more specimens of both E. biguttatus and E. quinquenotatus I have decided pretty easily that this is E. b. biguttatus.

 
I
moved the spider back to page, and the subspecies page option is available for E. b. biguttatus, if you feel the need for it.

Tentative E. biguttatus.
I would venture to say that this is probably Episyron biguttatus. Most specimens I have seen have two white spots in that placement, but as Mr. Eaton points out there is incredible individual variation. However, it is interesting to note that one of the two most common Episyron species (E. biguttatus and E. quinquenotatus) are fairly selective about habitat. E. quinquenotatus prefers sandy areas near watercourses, often very near (about ten feet from the beach at Crane Creek State Park in Ottawa County, Ohio). In my survey of Ohio pompilids I have only one record away from the northern tier of counties that border Lake Erie (in a data set of 171 specimens). E biguttatus is rarely found in areas where E. quinquenotatus is common, I presume because of competitive exclusion. This is a cautious E. biguttatus ID, the only sure way to know is to get a look at that tarsal comb!