WAITING FOR HER PREY

Nursery web spider, Pisaura mirabilis Dunchideock, Devon

ANDREW MCCARTHY

I came across this female nursery web spider sitting patiently in a stunning dahlia bloom in a corner of our garden, late last summer. The species is an ambush predator and will wait motionless for a considerable time before springing out and subduing its prey. Despite the prevailing warm temperatures that day, this spider seemed oblivious to my presence – this allowed me ample time to set up my equipment and run a 32-image focus stack before she disappeared back into the flower head.