Catch a Tiger by the Tail

Well, sort of...

On a Sunday outing at my friends Kathy McDonald and Ned Keller's place, we found a beautiful Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, Papilio glaucus. Then we soon noticed it wasn't really moving around...

Upon closer inspection, we found out why. A crab spider had captured the butterfly by its "tail" or abdomen.

These crab spiders are like ninjas. They will hide completely camouflaged within a flower. When an unsuspecting insect comes along to sip the nectar, BAM, it is nailed by the spider and injected full of venom. Not a pleasant way to go...

I am amazed at how these spiders are able to take down an insect much, much larger than them. The venom will immobilize the insect and liquify its insides. The spider then slurps the mixture up like a milkshake, leaving behind an empty, lifeless shell.

I would love to tell you the species of this spider, but unfortunately I did not get a shot of the eyes. Spiders are a pretty tricky lot to identify. This particular spider could be one of possibly three different genera - Misumenops, Misumena, or Misumenoides. The position of the eyes helps with identification. Here is a page with info on how to tell them apart, for those who are interested.

The crab spider itself is a gorgeous creature, with a bright yellow body and striking red markings. Many times they will hide in goldenrod making it even harder to find them. Check flowers closely to see if you can spot one of these amazing spiders.