THE GATHERING OF THE NECTAR 



purpose of preying on the insect visitors. They usually lurk 

 in dense clusters of small flowers, like the inflorescence of the 



Fig. 52. Large Insects Captured by Crab-Spiders 



1, Butterfly, Papilio asterias, captured by crab-spider, Misumena vatia, 2. 3, dragon-fly, 

 L'elithemis eponina, killed by crab-spider, 3/. vatia, i 



sumach, meadow-sweet, elderberry, Viburnum, cornel, and the 

 bristly sarsaparilla, although they are also found on large in- 

 dividual flowers like the rose. The commonest species of the 



103 



