Missed an easy meal

[Geoff F]

This Misumena vatia spider was lurking on a flower waiting for something to come too close when a Platycheirus granditarsus hoverfly sneaked in behind it for a quick sip of Fleabane nectar.



Eventually the spider realised what was happening and attempted to stealthily turn around; but the fly was too quick for it and easily escaped.

[Shadowman]

Nice set.

[lovelife65]

Very cool. In the first image I could not even see the creature , but my eyes were taken to the hoverfly of course. That spiders body is wild! Never seen anything like it. Thanks for sharing. Great images!

[John 2]

Never seen a spider like that Geoff. Nice capture. I do like happy endings.

[RandyRFJP]

Excellent captures, Geoff.

[NorthernFocus]

Nicely captured. All those eyes but none in the back of its head

[Jim A]

Our monthly competition, here in, North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand, is "Colour on colour". Your second image would be an "Honours", I have no doubt! Perhaps a bit of a crop on the left.

[gramps]

Wow, took me a moment to spot the spider, great photos.

[JBW]

I like it

[Rainforest]

Geoff are these commonly referred to as crab spiders? The ones we see here are usually more white but sometimes greenish and yellowish. They are shy and tiny! I think the stripes or lack of stripes denote which sex but I'm not sure if yours is male. Nice ones :-)

[Wavelength]

That was a feast of yellow; love them

[bnnrcn]

Both very nice Geoff, #2 is special

[IzzieK]

Nicely captured. All those eyes but none in the back of its head

Obviously, it's not a mother, Dan...

Yellow spider as yellow as the flower. Fleabane is white in this part of my pond...especially in Illinois. Nice story.

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments. Misumena vatia is one member of the group which are generally termed crab spiders. This species can be mostly white or yellow with various other markings and will gradually change colour to suit the surroundings.

It is a female; males look quite different and are mostly a dark brownish colour. They are only half the size of females.

They don't spin webs but just lie in wait, disguised by a suitably coloured flower, until something comes too close. They will tackle rather risky prey such as bumblebees which are larger than themselves.