June 5th, 2007
the optimistic spider
As you may have noticed, I’ve slacked off a bit with my posting over the past few days. I’ve been spending a lot of time getting vegetables planted, and doing a bit of work around the yard. As well, I’ve also been taking a lot of photos and finding that I’ve half-forgotten how to keep everything organized after months of having very little to photograph. Posting will probably be a little erratic until I get my act together again.
Anyhow, today, during one of the breaks between rain showers, I went for a walk through the fields and woods. On my way back to the house, I came upon this female Goldenrod Crab Spider (Misumena vatia) holding a very determined hunting pose, perched atop a soggy, bedraggled, dandelion flower that had already gone to seed (click on photo for a larger view). I looked at her and said, “You’re pretty optimistic.” I didn’t think she would get many visitors to her chosen flower. However, after giving the matter more consideration, I’m thinking that perhaps hunting from atop a soggy dandelion isn’t such a bad strategy. There are presently very few flowers in bloom in the oldfield pasture, and with her brilliant yellow body and legs, the spider actually looks like the bright remnants of a dandelion flower. She might just manage to capture some curious wasp, hoverfly, bee or other insect who stops to take a look.
June 6th, 2007 at 9:15 am
Beautiful. I didn’t know there were yellow spiders, so I have some obvious gaps in my knowledge to start filling in.
June 6th, 2007 at 9:28 am
Since I’m currently stuck at home with very slow dialup, I haven’t been visiting many of my favorite blogs lately, but since I saw Wayne’s spreadwing damselfly, I thought I should check here, too. I am impressed by both of your field closeups. It’s really inspiring, and my feeble attemps make me just that more impressed by yours.
Oh, and you’re getting rain. We are not. It has been more than six weeks since we got even measurable precipitation. We had a very light sprinkle two days ago and the smell reminded me of how nice rain can be. But it didn’t even wet the deck.
June 6th, 2007 at 9:44 am
That is quite a beautiful spider. I like your analysis of the situation, the soggy dandelion and the bright yellow spider. Yes, maybe she will attract a delicious meal.
June 6th, 2007 at 11:22 am
Yes, quite beautiful – made more so by the contrast with the bedraggled petals. Like Robin Andrea – I imagine your analysis of her strategy seems very likely accurate and the creature’s plan – oh-so-spiderish.
June 7th, 2007 at 5:55 am
Wow. What a dramatic crab! I had to laugh at your conversation with her.
Hope she doesn’t become a dirt dauber victim!
Now I’m going to have to go looking for crab and flower spiders ;-)
June 7th, 2007 at 6:35 am
wren – There are several yellow spiders – not just crab spiders, but also some nice orb weavers as well. In fact, there are many beautifully marked spiders, so it’s well worth watching for them.
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Mark – I have a really bad dial-up connection here at the farm and it does really hamper visits to other blogs. For the past few weeks, my net connection has been the pits on account of the rain. The phone line gets very crackly and net connection speed drops to a snail’s pace. Sorry that I can just send some of the rain your way! Regarding photography in the field, it is really very different and somewhat difficult, especially as you don’t want to disable the insect or annoy it just to get photos. I know that some people chill insects and then pose them – I’ve done that a couple of times just for shots at a museum where I was asked to come and photograph live collected insects… however, I’m not too much interested in that, so I do it the hard way most of the time.
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robin – Yes, she was a beauty! I think she’s about the largest of this species I’ve found so far this spring, so she must be doing something right. I expect she’s a very successful hunter.
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Cathy – I believe spiders are actually very savvy when it comes to survival. They’re also incredibly patient — especially some of these crab spiders. I’ve watched them sit motionless on a flowerhead for hours waiting for an insect to come along.
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Wayne – Yes, isn’t that a rather dramatic looking scene? I thought so too. As for my conversation with her, as you might suspect, I’m a bit of a Dr. Dolittle when it comes to all creatures. I don’t talk very much, but when I do, it’s often to say a few words to Sabrina, or to an insect or spider that I’m photographing. Good luck with the flower spider hunt. I’m sure that you must have plenty around your area. I don’t do this too often, but sometimes go looking for spiders in roadside vegetation — I tend to do that when we go to Nova Scotia as the roadsides in some areas are teeming with life. If you find the right kind of spot, you’ll find plenty of interesting insects and spiders. Just watch out for broken bottles and… down there… I suppose you might have to watch out for some species of snakes as well.
June 7th, 2007 at 7:50 am
I found your blog from Niches. Awesome photography. The spider shot in this posting is fantastic. Great blog!
June 7th, 2007 at 10:22 am
Doug – Thanks! Glad you found your way over here. (-:
June 9th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
Filed under “Photos I wish I’d taken.”
June 9th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
Xris – It was kind of a neat shot. I have plenty of photos of these spiders on “pretty” flowers, but it’s kind of neat to see the contrast with the beat-up old dandelion head.