Beauty Or Beast?

Diminuendo

Diminuendo

At the Start
Joined
Jun 3, 2003
Messages
1,453
Location
The West Country
I found this in the garden yesterday....yuck! I think its a crab spider, which come in a variety of colours including a white one, known as ' White Death', how quaint!
It eats insects much bigger than itself, including bees and butterflies. The victims are bitten just behind the head as they feed and are paralysed immediately.
The nicest thing about it, if that is possible, is that it only lives in a flower rich habitat, so my garden must suit! :D

Picture2306.jpg
 
Misumena vatia. Formidable ambush hunter, takes on insects far larger than itself, no web. Females can be white, green, or yellow, abdomen sometimes striped with red. Can slowly change colour to blend more with flowers, which it likes, as well as meadows. Adults arriving April to July. The male is small and brown, and looks unrelated to the female of the species. Widespread throughout Europe, North Africa, Asia, Japan, and North America. Enjoy! :)

Dims, the above culled from Collins' pocket-size 'Gem' series on all kinds of things. This one on 'Spiders', believe it or not.
 
Thanks Krizon, I found it in a Collins book too, my version is the Garden Wildlife book.

This morning I have a young robin in the garden. He has no red breast :( . Does anyone know at what age they get their wonderful red feathers?
 
Originally posted by Diminuendo@Aug 6 2005, 12:01 PM
Thanks Krizon, I found it in a Collins book too, my version is the Garden Wildlife book.

This morning I have a young robin in the garden. He has no red breast :( . Does anyone know at what age they get their wonderful red feathers?
Click to expand...
Their red feathers are a lot paler at this time of year anyway. I should imagine once it starts to get colder they'll get brighter.
 
This little chap is definitely a fledgling, He has no red feathers at all, and looks a bit scruffy. I'll try and get a piccy of him at some stage.
 
Dim, I think he will get his red feathers as the year progresses, although he will probably have an orangey breast, rather than a real red one, until the spring.

Merlin, that's utterly revolting!!
 
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