About Araneus alsine (Walckenaer, 1802)
Araneus alsine (first described by Walckenaer in 1802) shows sexual dimorphism in body size: males reach a body length of 6.5–8.5 millimetres (0.26–0.33 inches), while females reach 12–14.9 millimetres (0.47–0.59 inches). These spiders have a large, nearly globular or slightly elliptical opisthosoma, with body color ranging from beige to reddish-orange. The surface of the opisthosoma is covered in many white-and-yellow spots, which sometimes form a cross-shaped marking. The sternum, chelicerae, and legs are reddish brown; males have darker annulations on their legs. As one of its common names implies, Araneus alsine looks somewhat similar to a strawberry. This species has a Palearctic distribution, and can be found in Europe, Turkey, the Caucasus, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Japan. Araneus alsine prefers moist environments, and mainly inhabits forest clearings, swampy bogs with birch and heather, wet meadows, tall grass, and shady places.
