Crab Spider

For the first time this year I've spent the most part of the day outside in the garden. There's a good pile of weeds for my labour. Clear blue skies and only a slight breeze. The Swallows that have been around for a few days now, swooped around and above me as I worked. Just perfect!

I found this tiny spider whilst cutting back some of the dried stems from last years Asters. Misumena vatia, live amongst flowers, catching insects that land near them. They have the ability to change their colour, gradually over a few days, so they can camouflage themselves amongst the petals. They normally prefer white flowers and this one must have been on the blossom of a dwarf flowering cherry that grows next to the stems.

Nice early blip for me as I've been invited out for dinner. Now for a relaxing bath to remove the mud!