Tony Eales from Queensland, Australia sent a passel of photos of natural selection in action. His notes (species weren’t identified, so I’m putting up his photo labels):
To help top up the tank I’m offering up a set of photos of arthropods eating other arthropods.
Assassin bug versus beetle larva:
Assassin bug versus caterpillar:
Crab spider versus bug:
Crab spider versus fly:
Crab spider versus mantis:
Crab spider versus stingless bee:
Dragonfly versus fly:
Spider versus something (photo unlabeled):
Lynx spider versus bee:
Mantid versus bug:
Mantid versus butterfly:
Spider versus alate (ant):
Spider versus moth:
Spider versus spider:
What an amazing collection of death pics! Clearly it pays to be an arachnid, at least until the birds come along.
Very good snuff pictures! I completely enjoyed that. In the crab spider versus something picture I think the ‘something’ is a big-headed fly (Pipunculidae. These are aptly named, as shown here: http://bugguide.net/node/view/67160/bgimage
It’s actually a member of the Family Bombyliidae [Bee Fly]. Wing venation is different in Pipunculidae.
Just in time to stimulate thoughts of lunch.
In other news, it’s fun to think that around the world millions of Homo sapiens dine regularly on small creatures like these. Great source of protean they say.
Smashing set, Mr Eales ! Literally !
but ?.lovely.?, too !
Blue
So are spiders the most successful arthropod predators? These pics indicate, yes. Really cool arthropod vs. arthropod photos, thanks!
Maybe the most successful at eye level as my macro lens limits what I can photograph above me and my arthritis limits what I can photograph below me.
I have to say… hey where you going? I like this action. I was getting a little bored of nice pretty pics (not really) when death is a healthy part of living… are you insane? no, just a little morbid.
I was just checking out alkaline hydrolysis, no need for that here as recycling takes another form, poo.
Re: Crab spider vs mantis and Spider vs something, the spider looks like it might be Zygometis xanthogaster aka the milky flower spider. One of the Thomisidae crab spiders. This is a highly variable species, and I’ve got a few shots of it I keep meaning to get organised and submit to WEIT, if I ever get time.
Arachne.org’s page on Thomisidae. Arachne.org is a great resource for anyone interested in Australian spiders.
And that should have been Arachne.orgs page on Zygometis xanthogaster, not Thomisidae. That’s what fane braid and rushing will do for you.