Spiders and Camouflage

Some spiders take a different tack to catching insects. Sometimes the best message to communicate is no message. Or perhaps “disinformation” would be a better word.

Instead of spinning a large web to filter insects out of the air, some spiders lie in wait in a likely looking spot, then pounce on the unwary insect attracted by the “flower” they’re sitting on, or under. “I’m not a spider,” they seem to say, “I’m just a part of the environment.”

In looking for crab spiders, you often first notice a fly that’s just sitting still on a flower. A closer look reveals the spider holding the fly.