THE SPIDERS IN FLOWERS 



^ I 'HE rambler who has time to consider the flowers atten- 

 tively, may occasionally find a small pale yellow spider 

 lurking in the flower-clusters of various plants. At first 

 glance it may seem harmless enough and even attractive in ap- 

 pearance, but in this case, as in many others, looks are de- 

 ceptive, and if a specimen is watched long enough, it will be 

 found to be a very lion among insects, lying in wait among the 

 blossoms for its unsuspecting victims and pouncing fiercely 

 upon them as soon as they come within reach. In a recent 

 number of the Canadian Ejitonwlo^gist, John H. Lovell has the 

 following account of this remarkable animal : 



The Thomisidae or crab spiders have acquired the habit 

 of frequenting flowers for the purpose o<i preying on the in- 

 sect visitors. They usually lurk in thrysoid or dense clusters, 

 of small flowers like the inflorescenses of sumac (Rhus), mead- 

 ow sweet (Spiraea salicifoiia) , elderberry (Sambucus) , Vi- 

 burnum, Cornus, and the bristly sarsaparilla (Aralia hispida) ,. 

 though they are also found on large individual flowers as the 

 rose. The commonest species of this family is Misumena vatia, 

 a white spider with a crimson stripe on each side of the abdo- 

 men. It is quite common, but its color will often cause it to be 

 overlooked until a dead insect is noticed lying upon the surface 

 of the inflorescence. Mr. J. H. Emerton informs me that this 

 species and also^M. aletaria may be either white or yellow and 

 the pink stripes on the sides of M. vatia may be either present 

 or absent. Another species, he further states, has red mark- 

 ings and sometimes exactly resembles the sorrel (Rumex ace- 

 tosella. ) 



