Belongs to: spiders

Crab spider Misumena vatia

Crab spiders have rounded bodies and long curving front legs, hence their name; they do not spin webs but ambush their prey

This one sits on flower heads, waiting to pounce on nectar feeders such as bees and hoverflies when they land

Common in southern England

Usdually found on yellow or white flowers, changing their colour to match the background

As is usual in spiders, the male is smaller than the female: the female 9-11mm long and the male 3-4mm

Mating begins with a courtship dance in which the pair touch legs, and when they feel safe they mate

The female then waits with the egg sac until she dies