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bardofely
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Joined: 22 Dec 2004
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Location: Playa San Marcos, Tenerife
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 Post subject: Crab Spider |
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In the photo is a white Crab Spider that lives on my balcony and has caught a fly. The species is Misumena spinifera. They like to live in flowers where they wait for their prey. They are called crab spiders for the obvious reason that they hold their legs out like a crab and they can move sideways.
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Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:14 pm
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andyfowles
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Joined: 03 Apr 2007
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Location: Woking, Home of McLaren F1 Racing. Driven by the winner of the F1 drivers championship 2008.
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Although I cannot see it in the photo, I assume this spider still uses a web to catch it's prey?
Can this one change it's colour, like the Misumena vatia (the Goldenrod crab spider)? Or Maybe it does not need to, although it does appear a little 'uncamouflaged' (if that's a real word) stark white against the green leaves.
Can i ask how big your balcony is, to have all this great wildlife on it?
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Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:40 pm
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bardofely
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Joined: 22 Dec 2004
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Location: Playa San Marcos, Tenerife
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No, it makes no web. Many spiders do not build webs eg the wolf spiders and hunting spiders are webless types as well.
No, it can't change colour. It is obviously better disguised in white flowers but there aren't any here! 
It's about 13ft by 6ft.
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Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:46 pm
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andyfowles
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Location: Woking, Home of McLaren F1 Racing. Driven by the winner of the F1 drivers championship 2008.
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It's great to see such an abundance of wildlife right on your balcony. You certainly have the right plants for the wildlife.
So the poor fly thinks the spider is looking the other way then the spider does a 'side swipe'......poor fly 
Do you have a great deal of 'greenary' on your balcony to encourage the wildlife, do you simply observe it more or has the North of the island got much more natural 'little insects / spiders' etc? Since you keep coming up with these fantastic photos, absolutely fantastic.
Please keep going, I am thoroughly enjoying this wildlife trip into Tenerife. As i said the other day, these are things I would never see from the UK or on my 'all too brief' Holidays to the island.
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Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:58 pm
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bardofely
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Joined: 22 Dec 2004
Posts: 3219
Location: Playa San Marcos, Tenerife
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I have a lot of pots on my balcony and plants attract insects and birds and other wildlife. In the UK I filled my bay window with plants and had a pineapple growing in it.
Here it's an ongoing battle with pests so I welcome the hoverflies.
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Wed Aug 06, 2008 10:28 pm
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