This page was exported from Shelburne Free Press [ https://shelburnefreepress.ca ] Export date:Wed Jul 3 13:21:15 2024 / +0000 GMT ___________________________________________________ Title: A tiny world within --------------------------------------------------- We all love flowers. With flowers come bees, butterflies, and spiders eating flies. Flowers house a world of miniature beings – a magical world most of us walk right on by. But why? Because we can't see these spiders, as they are so tiny and they blend right in. Not all of the spiders do, some are camouflage masters. They just can't be seen unless you are literally searching for them. I love searching flowers for insects. I am part of a team doing a biological survey in Tiny Marsh. With my camera on macro I have gotten into insects to a new level for me. It is fascinating, educational and I totally get lost in their world. All we need to do is open our eyes to the amazing world that awaits us out there in your own backyard. To help, plant those native flowers to lure in the birds, bees and butterflies. You will be amazed at what else you find. You too will be hooked. In these photos the spiders I have chosen to share with you are called ‘goldenrod spiders' that are in the crab spider family, (thomisidae). They have eight small eyes in two backward curved rows of four eyes each. Their legs are held outstretched and can move in any direction like a crab. With the second pair of legs being heavier and longer than the third or fourth pair, these are not web spiders – as such, they do not build webs. You can find them walking along on the ground or climbing on a plant. They sit in the flower in which they blend into well. And wait. The male of some species of crab spiders will actually find a mate. He will then tie her down with loose silk webbing. She will produce a silken sac for her eggs. But unlike other species of spiders that carry their egg sacs around and protect their young when hatched, this female dies before her spiderlings emerge. This spider can actually change its color to match the flower it chooses to sit in to wait for a tasty morsel. They take prey even bigger than they are. Pretty amazing little guys! They are found in southern Canada in gardens, fields, meadows, on goldenrod and other yellow or white flowers. If you approach them as I did with my camera. They hold out there legs in defence – they are very alert of their surroundings and they do a good job of catching those pesky flies of all shapes and sizes. So go for a walk through a garden or field. Open your eyes and focus on that miniature world around you. Take your children and grandchildren and let them explore. But be careful. This is a very delicate world as well. All living things were put here for a reason and we need to respect them. Even protect them. They are good for your garden. The job they do is one that we can soon learn to appreciate. It is all part of an ecosystem that all works together for a healthy environment. And please don't touch! By Jennifer Howard --------------------------------------------------- Images: --------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Post date: 2014-07-16 17:57:14 Post date GMT: 2014-07-16 21:57:14 Post modified date: 2014-07-23 12:38:19 Post modified date GMT: 2014-07-23 16:38:19 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Export of Post and Page as text file has been powered by [ Universal Post Manager ] plugin from www.gconverters.com