Blue lace web spider portrait

I enticed some blue lace web spiders, Amaurobius similis, out of their retreats gently spraying their webs with water. They are shy spiders and might swiftly come inside when realising it is not prey, but some stay out long enough. The one above was one of several in ivy, where I find they are quite common. She looks lovely, both powerful and fresh. The one below, a much darker individual lives on the corner of my fence. Both are mature females, the size of a honeybee.