Packed Lunch - _TNY_9105
I stumbled on this female goldenrod crab spider (Misumena vatia) enjoying fly on a fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) which was growing along a small forest road used mainly for logging.
I initially thought the prey was some sort of tachinid fly, but people who know better have told me it most likely is a Thricops semicinereus instead.
Right next to this one was a bee beetle munching on pollen and right after this a flower longhorn landed and wanted to sit in the exact same space as the spider was sitting in so they shuffled around a bit - and then two small flies landed on the killed fly so it was pretty crowded there for a while!
Packed Lunch - _TNY_9105
I stumbled on this female goldenrod crab spider (Misumena vatia) enjoying fly on a fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) which was growing along a small forest road used mainly for logging.
I initially thought the prey was some sort of tachinid fly, but people who know better have told me it most likely is a Thricops semicinereus instead.
Right next to this one was a bee beetle munching on pollen and right after this a flower longhorn landed and wanted to sit in the exact same space as the spider was sitting in so they shuffled around a bit - and then two small flies landed on the killed fly so it was pretty crowded there for a while!