Flower Crab Spider on Shortspur Seablush Blossom

[best appreciated at full size against black]

The other day I posted a picture showing Shortspur Seablush buds. A couple of days ago I went out to take some pictures of open flowers and when I found this flower, I noticed that it had a bodyguard!! Just look at this cutie pie! :D I'm in love, aren't you?! :D

Crab spiders are extremely common on our property and I find them on flowers all the time. They can be so small you can barely see them, and sometimes as large as half an inch in size. They are extremely timid and if they feel threatened, they will scurry around to the other side of the flower or run down the stem. Sometimes they just dive off the flower to the ground below and I swear I hear them squealing, "WHEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" as they go! :D I love these little guys with their awesome ninja positions! I found out today that the reason they seem to come in so many colors is because they can change color over the course of several days to blend in perfectly with the flower they're hunting on! How cool is that?! :D

These cute little spiders are harmless to humans but they are very effective ambush predators to insects which visit the flower they're on. They lay in wait, positioned just as this one is, and grab prey as it arrives! Their front legs are longer than their back legs to help them reach flying insects before they can get away. I think they're extremely cool little guys and I will be taking many pictures of them in the coming months! If you would like to see some of my earlier shots, taken with my SX20 and 30, here's the link to click! :) (You will also get to see that I have improved a lot since I began taking pictures last year in February!)

If you would like to know more about crab spiders, Wiki has a page here: Wiki: Crab Spider (Thomisoidea)

I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too!

Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :)

NOTE! I have finally updated my profile and I hope you'll take a look to find out a little more about me and how important all of you are to my experience here on Flickr! Janet's profile (sfhipchick)

This image was taken in April, 2012.