23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Wildlife
The Jumping Hunter

Oyster Pearl Fungi are favourite for Adult Female Gnats to lay its eggs. Once it matures the tiny white headed larvae feed on the soft fleshy gills. I was working on the Fungi photography when I spotted this jumping spider having some quick meal as the larvae has matured and coming out of the eggs. I took this shot when the spider was moving around and it was continuously roaming underneath the fungi to hunt.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2025
Date Uploaded: 12.2025
Photo Location: Pune, India
Camera: Canon EOS R5m2
Copyright: © Indranil Basu Mallick