I had been watching one particular flower bed at the arboretum hoping to find a crab spider, since I found one there last year. It's always good to be familiar with the plants and flowers, and I have learned over many years what bugs to look for where, and when. Still, just because I see a bug somewhere once, there's no guarantee I'll ever see it there again.

But I keep looking anyway.


This afternoon, I got lucky. A beautiful female, poised to grab her next meal: any insect that might land on her flower.



I stopped by to look at her again about an hour later. This time she got lucky, too.

But when you think about it, there was more than just luck in the spider's favor. She is perfectly adapted to the lifestyle of blending in and waiting patiently. A quick grab, a deadly bite, and it's all over for the unlucky skipper.