May 23, 2011

"High hopes on the Hoya"
Although all the flowers have dropped off the Hoya plant, this dear little Crab Spider (note the hairy behind!)
is sitting there trying very hard to look like the last flower & maybe attract an insect for supper ....
Interesting fact about the Hoya: next season the flowers emerge from the tip of the same 'head'; the heads elongate with each flowering. This was the first flowering on this head, that is why it is round.   I have never taken a macro shot of it before and I can't help but wonder whether the pink centre might be the start of the next set of flowers.
The flower 'head' in the photo is about 10mm in size - the spider is really tiny!

May 22, 2011

The very bright sunlight really accentuates the veins, hairs and scales on the wings of this Butterfly.
After an Internet search, I decided that it might be an African Migrant. My friend Jill will tell!





May 21, 2011



The Crab Spider that I photographed on 16 May has lost the legs that were stuck in the exoskeleton!
Crab Spiders use those legs to grab prey & I was worried that it can not catch food and was probably starving.

  

I caught a little pollen gatherer....  and placed it carefully on one of the dry seeds.
The spider can be seen watching in the background ...  (I am sorry little pollen gatherer)



My plan worked and soon afterwards the hungry litte Crabby was feeding happily!
In this photo one can cleary see where the legs broke off. 
I have read that Crab Spiders have the ability to regenerate legs, but only after moulting.