Misumena vatia (Family Tomisidae) are known as crab spiders due to the resemblance of their first two pairs of legs to crab claws and to their ability to scuttle sideways or backwards when disturbed. They are solitary ambush predators, also known as sit-and-wait predators. Ambush strategies often rely on camouflage, which is the ability of the spiders to match their colour with the background. In this case, the white female Misumena vatia, turned its body coloration into white (greenish-white), perfectly blending among the pure white flowers of the daisy that grew next to a pair of Anacamptis coriophora orchids. The orchids are also known as Bug Orchids, due to their unpleasant, strong scent that resembles that of some species of bugs. Besides their poignant smell, the orchids attract insects with their abundant amount of nectar. The clever female spider, disguised in white, used the fragrant, rewarding orchids as ‚pollinators magnets’, feasting on the naive little visitors that fell victims while searching for food (nectar) (Orchids of Romania, by Nora De Angelli & Dan Anghelescu, 2020).
Date Taken: | 06.2020 |
Date Uploaded: | 11.2022 |
Photo Location: | Sinaia, Romania |
Copyright: | © Nora De Angelli |