Misumena vatia (Clerck, 1757) Discussion

goldenrod crab spider

Comments on June 7, 2007 Observation

Bev Wigney
45.1456, -75.6088
1    1    
Submitted: June 7, 2007 at 11:28:59 AM MST

Report on two Misumena vatia seen during the past week. First is of a good-sized female spider - bright yellow in colour - found atop the flower head of a soggy, expired dandelion. Date & Time: June 4, 2007 at 10:40 hrs., during a sunny break between morning showers. At first, it seemed that she must be overly optimistic, but she did appear very much like the last bits of yellow in a dandelion flower that is going to seed, so perhaps the flower was not such a poor choice. As there were few other flowers in bloom anywhere else in the field, perhaps she might attract an unwary visitor. Reference photo: http://www.pbase.com/crocodile/image/80037538

Second report is of a male spider found on one of the Common Milkweed plants in part of the garden reserved for Monarch butterflies. Date & Time: June 6, 2007 at 12:50 hrs. When I first approached the spider to attempt to shoot a photo, he moved to the other side of the plant stalk. I slowly moved around the stalk, watching the spider. He managed to keep the stalk between us as I encircled the plant twice. I stopped and tried tricking him by putting my hand on the opposite side of the plant where he was hiding. That encouraged him to move to a section of plant where I could shoot a few photos, one of which is posted here. The following is a link to a larger view of the same image: http://www.pbase.com/image/80139180

Bev Wigney wrote on June 7, 2007 at 1:41:16 PM MST

David P. Shorthouse wrote on June 7, 2007 at 1:20:25 PM MST