Spiders are always trying to trap the butterflies

Next post has a picture.

This common Garden spider is always making a web to trap the flying moths and butterflies. Then they capture wasps also, so I just relocate them when they are close to the host and nectar plants.

I never cease to be amazed at how big those orb weavers can get. Some are downright frightening!

Back at the ranch they spin their webs and have those trip lines running from one side of the road (dirt road path) to the other. You can usually see the web lines when they are dotted with morning dew and avoid doing the arachnidiot dance - but once the sun dries out the web - everything is fair game.

Since I putter around the back roads in the golf cart (with the front windshield folded down) I've ended up crashing into trees more times that I care to admit to - because I didn't see a spider web until it was too late to stop...and yes, I jump out and look like an arachnidiot trying to get the danged thing off of me!

Here's an orb weaver with a dragon fly sack lunch.

~ Cat

We get a variety of spiders at the ranch and the predominant ones are the Green Linx. The females get HUGE!!! There are weeks when just about every wildflower seems to have one on it waiting for prey. They give me the willies too but I still have a strange propensity to take death photos of their hapless victims.

~ Cat

Green Linx Spider with Queen butterfly.

~ Cat

On a good note - they also eat wasps :o)

~ Cat

The spider pictures are great! I know you get the really big ones there....or maybe I just don't see them. :blinking:
Please post any you like...we need the truth about how tough our butterflies have it.

Ah...forgot to post one of my favorites - a jumping spider - can't recall the name right now. However, it wasn't until afterwards when I sent photos to bugfiles to get this one ID'd that a reply came back saying they follow you with their eyes and can jump several feet and their bite hurts...and to think I was mere inches away trying to get macros photos of it! EEEEK!

This spider is a good sized bugger as you can tell by the grasshopper it's clutching.

~ Cat

Found this little guy on my rue this morning. Just waiting for a meal!
So camouflaged against the yellow of the rue flowers at that!

It's amazing that this one is yellow and brown - as the rue blossoms are yellow but will soon have brown seeds showing up.

Am fascinated by crab spiders - they manage to match whatever they are on. I've seen some on white flowers of clematis drummondi and they are white! Had another on the white and maroon flowers of one of my hoya plants and wouldn't you know it, that dratted crab spider was white with maroon markings!!!

Also saw this spider hiding behind the petals of a wildflower at the ranch yesterday. It's way up on top one petal to the left of high noon. Sneaky cheeky devils!!!

Laying in wait of our unsuspecting bfs!! Bad spideys!