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The World of Minibeasts

The Death in a Flower - On the Fast Lane

 

Relax, little bee.. it'll be all over soon.

Here the crab spider killed a honey bee (Apis mellifera). Misumena vatia is not afraid of stinging insects. The spider is simply faster than they are. 

The spider has thrust its fangs into the neck of the bee, which paralyses the bee so quickly that there is no time left to bend its abdomen forward to sting the spider. 


previous chapter   next chapter A Beautiful Death Not a Flying Egg Lucky Beauty
Strong Armor Big Beast On the Fast Lane Goliath
Small but Mean A Flirt on the Edge Big Love Mating

Photograph by José Verkest, Text by Maria Pfeifer