A date with death in the garden

A few summers ago, I wandered into the garden (London, England) with a cup of tea and sat down to do absolutely nothing in particular - one of life’s underrated pleasures.  There were a number of butterflies around that day – one of which I noticed was resting on a flower nearby. It was perfectly still, wings closed.

A few minutes passed. The butterfly hadn’t moved an inch.

Curiosity got the better of me, so I moved in for a closer look. That’s when I saw it: a spider, clinging tightly to the butterfly, almost invisible against the flower. It turned out to be a flower crab spider - one of 27 species apparently - a clever little ambush hunter that can actually change colour to blend in with whatever flower it’s sitting on. No web, no chase, just patience and excellent camouflage.

The spider waits calmly until an unsuspecting insect lands nearby, then snaps out with its strong front legs, grabbing its prey in a surprise hug. A quick bite delivers venom that paralyses the insect, and that’s that - dinner is served. Efficient, silent, and rather impressive, I had never seen one before and haven’t seen one since!