Posts Tagged: gold coin

Danger Lurks

One left hungry. One didn't.

We watched a leafcutter bee (genus Megachile) foraging on a gold coin flower (Asteriscus maritimus 'Gold Coin') yesterday when suddenly danger lurked.

A jumping spider peered over the petals, its legs (aka "claws") extended in anticipation, the mark of a good hunter.

The jumping spider (family Salticidae), easily identified by four pairs of eyes, can jump several lengths of its body.

That's good enough to nail a leafcutter bee, but not this time.

Score: Leafcutter Bee 1, Jumping Spider, 0.

Leafcutter bee forages on a gold coin flower, unaware that a jumping spider lurks. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Leafcutter bee forages on a gold coin flower, unaware that a jumping spider lurks. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of jumping spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of jumping spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at 5:42 PM

Comments: 0

Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey

Tags: gold coin (1), jumping spider (1), leafcutter bee (1)