I know I've posted various photos of spiders and other predators with butterflies in their clutches but I couldn't find a post showing a collection of photos so decided to start one.
No, I'm not really morbid but seems when I'm out in the field I always come across a poor butterfly entangled in a web or in the process of being eaten. Hence all the photos.
~ Cat
Green Linx spider with a Queen butterfly
Same Green Linx spider and Queen - different angle.
~ Cat
I can't remember...I think this was a Theona Checkerspot.
~ Cat
Dusky Blue Groundstreak and spider.
~ Cat
Banded Argiope...or garden orb weaver.
~ Cat
Another spider...can't remember the name - with a Snout butterfly. You can also see another Snout in the lower left.
~ Cat
Bees are also the prey of spiders. Don't know what kind this was...but it was a formidable size and had several bees wrapped up.
~ Cat
Seems everytime I checked the waltheria indica growing in the back fields there was a linx spider on it with something in it's grasp. Here's another bee.
~ Cat
Another Linx with a wasp this time. Photo taken same day as the first one with the Queen butterfly and the photo above this with a bee.
~ Cat
Even dragonflies get caught.
~ Cat
Grasshoppers too...here's a Texas Jumping Spider...phidippus johnsoni (I think that's the name). These are scarying looking spiders...they seem to track you with your eyes no matter what angle you are watching them from!!!
~ Cat
Robber flies! UGH!!! These guys are bad!!! They seem to be quite voracious and hard to swat! Yes, I swat them down when I find them in my yard.
This is an old photo...sorry for the quality.
~ Cat
Even my poor little Brazilian Skipper first instar caterpillars fell prey to spiders. There were gobs of caterpillars on my cannas and next time I looked I couldn't find but a few. Here's the reason why. Dratted spider!!!
~ Cat
another real old photo of a wasp in the clutches of a linx.
~ Cat
fuzzy photo of a crab spider with a metalmark butterfly.
~ Cat
Don't remember what kind of spider this was...but it's abdomen was the size of a penny! It was huge!!! Had a bee all wrapped up for dinner.
~ Cat
This message was edited Sep 25, 2007 9:01 PM
Here's a hairstreak courting death. It kept walking around the turk's cap blooms just barely within the grasp of an assassin bug. I watched this little dance of death for about five minutes before I moved on...but before I did I knocked off the bug and squished it!
~ Cat
This message was edited Sep 23, 2007 10:15 AM
ah...another real old photo of a praying mantis with a Tawny Emperor.
...am sure I have more bad bug and butterfly photos on my computer but can't remember what folder I put them in...and most likely they are scattered between the various butterfly species folders.
~ Cat
This message was edited Sep 23, 2007 10:17 AM
This was the Year of the Spider in Texas. I've spent more time this year trying to get spider webs off me (web-hair is no fun!) or trying to avoid them! All that rain really encouraged them to just take over. There were times I'd carry a stick around to remove webs in the yard that blocked my path. One night I opened the back door to walk outside and found a large spider web with large spider across the opening. Surprise!
Cat what a great thread. But I really hate to see the butterflies get eaten
This little jumping spider was hanging out by the carrot flowers. Flowers which were covered with little bronze colored flies. This spider has the hind-end sticking out. ha. Spider-1, Fly-0
And then there's THIS. ugh. One of my freshly released babies. After this one, I tore it's web down. (sigh) The circle of life is sometimes cruel.
Close up.
Linda...You aren't kidding. The rain we got a few weeks ago made everything come to life. Bad bugs at the top of the list! I drive around the back fields in my golf cart and sometimes end up driving between the brush or trees and there are always webs across my path. UGH!!! Those giant garden orb weaver spiders can be scary!!!
Pford...awesome photos. I do hate to see one of those big beautiful butterflies get caught up in their webs as well. The circle of life can be cruel just as you said.
Donna...I tend to leave nature to its own but there are times when I must put my foot down :o) on those predators. I once scared myself silly by knocking down a big spider then losing it once it fell to the ground. Talk about turning into a major "arachnidiot" when I found the critter climbing up my pant leg!!! Amazing how fast this old body can move!!!
~ Cat
This message was edited Sep 24, 2007 6:15 PM
Defiantly Cat! We must know all the enemies. This way we can best preserve.
I'm always walking into a spider web somewhere too. I forget until I'm already through them, lol. Unless I feel something crawling on me I usually just move along with what I was doing.
Great thread Cat!
debnes
Bummer...walked out to see if there were any moths around the security light and saw a Gulf Frit hanging upside down in a spiderweb that spanned the front walkway. The spider is small compared to the butterfly...but it still managed to entrap this one.
~ Cat
Well this presents a conundrum .... I have a Green Lynx Spider guarding an egg sag in the middle of my Red Mountain Sage. After looking at these photos, I'm very tempted to squash her and step on her egg sac. Not only am I terrified of spiders (she is the very first spider that I've openly tolerated in my garden) but I don't want to see any of my butterflies and/or bees fall into her clutches. What should I do? Ugh ....
Carla
Some soft spotted folks would say "relocate the little spider". Or have someone do it for you. :-D.
debnes
Green Linx spiders have taken over the back fields at the ranch. Seems every plant I look at has one guarding an egg sack. Granted they kill off some of the other predators and such...but just really hate to see a butterfly all trussed up for dinner.
Guess if we didn't have thousands of Queen butterflies I'd really go on a stomping frenzy.
So long as they stay out of my backyard I'll leave them alone...but even at the ranch - if they venture too close to the choice nectar plants where many butterflies gather...they're history!
Yeah, if it's in your butterfly garden I'd say relocate it to the spot under your boot :o)
~ Cat
This message was edited Sep 28, 2007 6:50 PM
lol
forgot picture. robber fly
chris
Whoa....awesome photo of that robber fly...I don't feel sorry for the wasp though :o)
~ Cat
Me neither! I'll be on the look out for those Robber Flies. First time hearing about them.
Chris, do you take your camera out with you every time you are outside? LOL You always get some great "only moment" shots.
Lol, I do try to take the camera with me alot. When I do leave it inside is always when I miss the "new" butterfly or something really cool. The longtail skipper only shows up when I dont have it. I dont think he wants to be in our "butterflies in our backyard" book.
chris
Super pic Chris!! Wowie!!
Here's mine....Carolina Mantis with Skipper
Robber Fly with bee...
Melody, that Mantis picture is awesome! Poor, little skipper, but at least he gets his 15 minutes of fame on DG.
chris
Yeah, he was so consumed I never figured out what kind he was...we have about a bazillion different ones here anyway.
Poor little thing...at least he's something besides lunch now that he's famous.
Poor little skipper.
Ya know...I'm used to seeing smaller butterflies caught up in spider webs so it still amazes me to find a larger one...like a Giant Swallowtail. Was out at a wildlife refuge today and saw this one.
Those green linx are really out in full force.
~ Cat
