A Big Spider!

Since the red hunting wasps moved into my garden I’d despaired of seeing any of the big spiders they prey on. Today as I was washing fern spore and litter from the rainwater tub I discovered this young female nurseryweb spider. She was an added surprise because I have not seen any large nursery webs for a couple of years.

They can walk on water (note her shadow), and she escaped before I was finished taking photos of her.