Feast Of The Yard Spider

This year I've been trying to spend more time out in the yard, getting it all big and blooming. Too damn hot for that this week, the heat index hit 109F (43C) today.

Still had to get out and poke around a bit today, see how everything was doing. As I was doing that I discovered a new critter had taken up residence in the yard, a zigzag spider!

Well technically they're Argiope aurantia but I couldn't pronounce that if I wanted to. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that this one was having herself a feast.

Pretty sure she'd captured one of these flitterbys that'd come to visit one of the nearby flowers.

Don't think I'd ever seen a spider eating before, it was fascinating in a slightly morbid sort of way.

Naturally, I had to take photos of the feast.

With everything that was growing there was only one angle I could shoot from. Wasn't the angle I wanted but everything else I tried was either obstructed or even worse.

Anybody want to pet the spider yet? The Wikipedia article said their venom is no worse than a bee sting.

As a teenager I had a run in with a brown recluse and ever since that healed I've borne a bit of a grudge against arachnids.

Make an exception for zigzag spiders though, they're just too interesting to smush without good reason.

With the exception of the first photo, these are all in chronological order.

Couldn't tell if it was a 'good to the last drop' situation or if spiders play with their food too, either way it was a moveable feast. Kept moving the butterfly to and fro and flipping it over.

If it keeps messing with the butterflies, me and this spider are going to have issues. Half the things we grow are for the butterflies, can't be luring them into a trap.

Anybody need a pet spider? They don't bite unless you try to grab it.

And I thought cats were bad for playing with their food...

Had intended to keep shooting until the feast was through but then a swallowtail landed on the zinnia beside me.

Completely distracted me, by the time I remembered the spider it was too late, the feast was done and cleanup had begun. Probably enough spider photos anyway.