Northern crab spider & hover fly (Mecaphesa asperata / syrphus ribesii)

Photo by KarenL

Published on Project Noah

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35.8987, -86.9624

Field Notes

Notes:

I spotted this small spider just as he captured the hoverfly & dragged it back into his hiding place under the petals of a cosmos bloom. He clearly wasn't happy about being disturbed before he had a chance to have his lunch, but I did manage to get this series of photos before he disappeared, still hanging on to his prey.

Reference Links:

Syrphus ribesii, Species Mecaphesa asperata - Northern Crab Spider - BugGuide.Net

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (13)

KarenL

Thanks Joe!

SpiderJoe

Yes, definitely M. asperata.

KarenL

Added to new Spiders of Tennessee mission - http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/9135391

KarenL

Thanks Arun!

Arun

Nice capture ...

KarenL

I've corrected the spiders scientific name as I now have had it identified by bugguide.net

KarenL

Thanks Carol - I've just changed the order as when I added this spotting I hadn't worked out you could drag the images around! Atul, I think they are so cool too! I was very lucky to get this shot - I was focusing on the hover fly when he appeared from under a petal & captured it!

Atul

stunning series Karen!! just love these crab spiders, did you know the do not spin webs instead just wait in ambush n pounce on their prey!! i just have one in my collection have been trying real hard to find these !!

Carol Snow Milne

Photo #4. WOW! Great Macro. All of them. But #4 is really intense.

Thank you!

Brilliant spotting.

Thanks textless!

Excellent action sequence!