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How do daddy longlegs benefit from flower spiders?

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By Chelsie Vandaveer

December 10, 2003

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The flower or crab spider (Misumena vatia Clerck) is cryptically colored; it takes on the color of its surroundings. The female spider is most frequently found hidden among the parts of flowers where it waits for prey. The prey is generally two to three times the size of the spider. The spider ambushes pollinators, especially honey bees, bumblebees, and wasps. The insects are seized and paralyzed by a venomous bite to the back on the neck. (See Renfield's Garden, November 26, 2003)

The flower or crab spider takes on the color of its surroundings.
A Crab Spider, Thomisus Species, with Cricket Prey in Its Grip
Photographic Print by George Grall
Buy Photographic Print at AllPosters.com

After paralyzing the bee, digestive enzymes from the spider's stomach enter through the bite wound. The internal organs of the prey are liquefied, the spider drinks her meal. When finished, she drops the empty carcass below her perch. The bee carcass appears unharmed except for the fang

Since female flower spiders tend to remain at one location, they make relatively easy subjects to study in the wild. Douglass H. Morse of Brown University has studied spider behavior for twenty years. He and his field personnel were studying the activity of flower spiders on milkweed (Asclepias syriaca Linnaeus). They noticed that the carcasses discarded by flower spiders disappeared overnight even when there was no wind or rain. Something was scavenging and moving the food resource to another location.

Morse concluded that, except for one instance, the harvestmen
were commensals of crab spiders.
Close View of a Daddy Longlegs (Harvestman)
Framed Photographic Print by Darlyne A. Murawski
Buy Framed Photographic Print at AllPosters.com

The team collected discarded prey and dusted them with red micronite dye. Then replaced the carcasses where they were found. Examining the area the following day, they found dyed carcass parts carried to locations almost a meter away or lodged in plants almost one-half meter off the ground. Using pitfall traps, the team succeeded in capturing a few of the scavengers—harvestmen or "daddy longlegs" (Phalangium opilio Linnaeus) with mouthparts dyed red. (See Renfield's Garden, December 18, 2002)

Morse concluded that, except for one instance, the harvestmen were commensals of crab spiders. The harvestmen benefit from the presence of the spider without harming or interfering with the spider's activity. ("Harvestmen as Commensals of Crab Spiders", Douglass H. Morse, Journal of Arachnology Vol.29, 2001)

Nick's Spiders of Britain and Europe website has great photographs of crab spiders (Misumena vatia).

http://www.nicksspiders.com/nicksspiders/misumenavatia.htm

Dan Tenaglia's "Missouri Plants" website has numerous photographs and information on Asclepias syriaca, a major host species for the Monarch butterflies in the Midwest.

http://www.missouriplants.com/Others/Asclepias_syriaca_page.html

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