Bug Squad
Article

Danger Lurks

One left hungry. One didn't.

We watched a leafcutter bee (genus Megachile) foraging on a gold coin flower (Asteriscus maritimus 'Gold Coin') yesterday when suddenly danger lurked.

A jumping spider peered over the petals, its legs (aka "claws") extended in anticipation, the mark of a good hunter. 

The jumping spider (family Salticidae), easily identified by four pairs of eyes, can jump several lengths of its body. 

That's good enough to nail a leafcutter bee, but not this time. 

Score: Leafcutter Bee 1, Jumping Spider, 0.