David Element

Wildlife Photography

and Digital Video Images

________________ Spiders 3 - Crab-spiders

                                    CRAB SPIDER Xysticus cristatus

                                    CRAB SPIDER Synaema globosum

                           HEATHER CRAB-SPIDER Thomisus onustus (f)

                                  FLOWER SPIDER Misumena vatia

                                   FLOWER SPIDER Misumena vatia

• A trap is sprung! Crab-spiders (Thomisidae) are able to vary their colour, thus enabling them to remain effectively camouflaged against a range of different backgrounds. It is evident from the photographs that this subterfuge has clearly worked. Many butterflies larger than the Common Blue Polyommatus icarus can fall into these well-laid traps and Spider-hunting Wasps are not immune either – a case of the biter being bit! Synaema globosum is absent from the UK and the photograph was taken in southern France.

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-> Spiders 2

-> Spiders 3

-> Spiders 4

-> Spiders 5

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© David Element.