It seems appropriate to post a photo of a spider on the evening before Halloween. I was not able to get a look at the spider’s front side when I photographed it this past weekend at Huntley Meadows Park, so I can’t identify it. I know for sure, though, that I never want to wake up in the morning and have this view of a spider. With my near-sighted vision, that would mean that it was way too close to me for my comfort. Happy Halloween!
UPDATE: Thanks to the assistance of my mentor and fellow blogger, Cindy Dyer, I am now pretty sure that the spider is the orb-weaver spider Neoscona Crucifera, sometimes known as Hentz’s orb-weaver or a barn spider (though there are other spiders known as barn spiders too).
Pre-Halloween spider enjoys a snack
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
I’m pretty sure that’s a kind of Orb Weaver spider!
Thanks, Cindy. I’ll continue my search to try to find a matching image (though that rarely happens for me).
I think I found it–Neoscona crucifera, sometimes called Hentz’s orb weaver or barn spider (though apparently there is another spider also called a barn spider). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoscona_crucifera
It looks like it’s busy with prey. Interesting shot.