Mother … Again
… and again.
Up close, without the personal … this spider doesn’t rationalise or emotionalise her situation. She is … the act of sitting. Knowing …
*Click on the pictures for a proper look …
Sitting in expectation, without a thought, as instinct informs her being something will come to this also active living flower.
Infinite variations in posture, in readiness for that something when it comes. An almost meditative occupation, why not … instinctively.
‘What’s that I see above me, come into my arms, let me show you the way of spider dear. A one way exercise, have no fear.’
Oops! No crack in this hard shelled ladybug, to slip in a pointed lesson in survival, not yours. And ladybug went on her way.
No mercy for the unwary though. She came for food for the hive and became food for the spider. Such is life to one, death to another.
And flies do join the banquet, never far from a feast. No more than providing for young yet … to be … you might think her a beast.
Being dead, no good for a bee. Or is death something else than a little body bent to spider queen. Coup de grâce complete.
… and again.
She stayed the life of the flower, then moved on to the next one. Pretty soon she was in food again, the more abundant honey bee attending.
I helper her along, so she didn’t have to move far, or rely on wind for direction – casting a thread to the currents is how she travels.
She will probably stay on this one for a while, it having multiple heads still to open. Then the butterfly bush should be in bloom.
We’ll see, nothing is sure but the rising and setting of the sun, as long as there is witness to it.
© Mark Berkery ……. Click on those pictures for a closer look
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Nature's Place 
I love that little spider. I only know the similar white one sitting often on white flowers in my garden!
Clever things, aren’t they – seems like. Mine has moved to the next flower, more opportunities there for beeing.
Mark, I am curious if her color adapts to the flower… or does she choose flowers that match her?;-)
Hi Deborah.
I wondered how this one came to the garden already the same colour as the only flower big enough to hunt on. Maybe from one of the recently flowering trees, of different and similar colours. But I don’t know, except she had to come from a well fed spot to appear as big and healthy as she does.
Her colour is an exact match for the sunflower and there is no other such colour around so perhaps it is her natural colour. She does adapt, I’ve seen it with other crab spiders where there was other colour/pattern flowers available. According to this – http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/14073/20150414/camouflaged-spider-change-color.htm – she can change colour but prefers not to, which makes sense. When the flower she is on is spent I will look first for her on a similar coloured flower.
Wired has some interesting articles on the crab spider – https://www.wired.com/2009/11/spider-color-changing-mystery/
Enjoyed your thoughtful commentary, even though it was a sad end for the bee!
Thanks Helen.
The end of a bee is the beginning of something else. That’s life, and death, and everything else.
hello Mark, how can i subscribe?
Hi Michael.
There should be a ‘Follow’ button at bottom right corner of the page or screen. Just click and follow that.
Wonderful series.
Thanks David.