Master Gardeners of Ventura County
University of California
Master Gardeners of Ventura County

Posts Tagged: prey

What's on the Menu for a Mantis?

A green bottle fly lands on a tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, in a Vacaville pollinator garden. Houston, we have landed! The fly, Lucilia sericata, begins to sip the nectar, unaware that a hungry praying mantis, a...

A green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) forages on milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, on Aug. 20 in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) forages on milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, on Aug. 20 in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) forages on milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, on Aug. 20 in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, sneaks closer to its prey, an unsuspecting green bottle fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, sneaks closer to its prey, an unsuspecting green bottle fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, sneaks closer to its prey, an unsuspecting green bottle fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

In a split second, the praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, nails its prey, an unsuspecting green bottle fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
In a split second, the praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, nails its prey, an unsuspecting green bottle fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

In a split second, the praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, nails its prey, an unsuspecting green bottle fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Dinner is served: Fly à la carte. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Dinner is served: Fly à la carte. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Dinner is served: Fly à la carte. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Monday, August 21, 2023 at 4:34 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

Tough Day for a Tettigoniid on a Tithonia

It was a tough day for a Tettigoniid on a Tithonia. When a katydid (Tettigoniid) encountered a crab spider on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in our garden,  the katydid didn't last long. The spider administered a...

A crab spider administers a fatal bite on a katydid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A crab spider administers a fatal bite on a katydid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A crab spider administers a fatal bite on a katydid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The crab spider drags its prey to the edge of the Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The crab spider drags its prey to the edge of the Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The crab spider drags its prey to the edge of the Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The crab spider, hidden from the world around it, consumes the katydid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The crab spider, hidden from the world around it, consumes the katydid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The crab spider, hidden from the world around it, consumes the katydid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at 10:00 AM
Tags: crab spider (23), katydid (8), Mexican sunflower (95), predator (26), prey (34), Tettigoniid (1)
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

A Crab Spider and a Bee

Oh, the patience of a crab spider. It lies in wait on the Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in the hot sun. It scuttles back and forth, extending its legs. It's an ambush predator, ready to inject venom. But it seems as if all the bees got the...

A crab spider on a Mexican sunflower is ready to ambush prey.  (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A crab spider on a Mexican sunflower is ready to ambush prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A crab spider on a Mexican sunflower is ready to ambush prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The crab spider scuttles back and forth. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The crab spider scuttles back and forth. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The crab spider scuttles back and forth. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee, seeking nectar and pollen, lands on the Mexican sunflower, unaware of the predator. It quickly buzzed off. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee, seeking nectar and pollen, lands on the Mexican sunflower, unaware of the predator. It quickly buzzed off. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee, seeking nectar and pollen, lands on the Mexican sunflower, unaware of the predator. It quickly buzzed off. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at 4:31 PM
Tags: crab spider (23), honey bee (250), Mexican sunflower (95), predator (26), prey (34), Tithonia rotundifola (36)
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

No 'Assassination' Today!

No assassinations today! But an "assassination attempt." There it was, a leafhopper assassin bug, Zelus renardii,  waiting for prey atop a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola in a Vacaville pollinator garden. Yes, it's native to...

An assassin bug, Zelus renardii,waits to ambush prey on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
An assassin bug, Zelus renardii,waits to ambush prey on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

An assassin bug, Zelus renardii,waits to ambush prey on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A longhorned bee arrives for some nectar while the assassin bug watches in apparent anticipation. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A longhorned bee arrives for some nectar while the assassin bug watches in apparent anticipation. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A longhorned bee arrives for some nectar while the assassin bug watches in apparent anticipation. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The longhorned bee leaves only its shadow behind. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The longhorned bee leaves only its shadow behind. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The longhorned bee leaves only its shadow behind. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This assassin bug had more luck--or better ambushing skills. It nails a pest, a spotted cucumber beetle. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This assassin bug had more luck--or better ambushing skills. It nails a pest, a spotted cucumber beetle. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This assassin bug had more luck--or better ambushing skills. It nails a pest, a spotted cucumber beetle. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Thursday, July 7, 2022 at 6:44 PM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Pest Management, Yard & Garden

This Spider Went for Plan Bee

The spider failed to snag a butterfly, so it went for Plan Bee. That would be the honey bee, Apis mellifera. The bee is usually foraging for nectar and pollen and not that aware of her surroundings, especially a cunning and very hungry spider. So...

A  spider executes Plan Bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A spider executes Plan Bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A spider executes Plan Bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Friday, September 3, 2021 at 5:16 PM
Tags: honey bee (250), orbweaver (3), Plan Bee (1), predator (26), prey (34), spider (19)
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

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