[SPOTLIGHT] Predator & Prey
Ambush predator Lynx spider has caught a stingless bee. Cambroon, Qld.
A pair of hoverfly larvae and their aphid friend enjoy life on a dill plant. Cambroon, Qld.
Ant-killing Spider with Ant Bundle
Tiny spider (Euryopis sp.) hauls around a bundle of technomyrmex ants. Mapleton, Qld.
Combfooted spider (Thwaitesia nigronodosa) with her wrapped lunch. Toowong, QLD.
Certain insets such as ladybirds and hoverflies lay their eggs in the middle of aphid colonies so their larvae have the best possible start in life. This grub is busy sucking the life out of an aphid nymph. Gayndah, QLD.
A small chalcid wasp sits on the back of a bottlebrush sawfly larva - there is no evidence the wasp has parasitised the sawfly but it seems like a good chance. Mt Coot-tha, QLD.
Male Mopsus mormon has snared a treehopper meal. Oxley Creek, QLD.
Male Mopsus mormon has snared a treehopper meal. Oxley Creek, QLD.
Mopsus mormon female with cockroach prey. Oxley Creek, QLD.
Crab spider makes a meal of a stingless bee. The spider waits patiently on a blue ginger flower for foraging bees. Kyogle, NSW.
Ladybird larvae are born and bred in aphid populations. Oxley Creek, QLD.
Ladybird larva attacks a yellow aphid from behind to avoid it's formidable pointy mouthparts. Oxley Creek, QLD.
Ladybird larvae are born and bred in aphid populations. Oxley Creek, QLD.
Ladybird larva attacks a yellow aphid from behind to avoid it's formidable pointy mouthparts. Oxley Creek, QLD.
Lady beetle larva feeds on a yellow aphid. Oxley Creek, Qld.
Red and black (not an assassin) bug nymph has a delightful beetle lunch on a spotted gum tree. Mt Coot-tha, QLD.
Beautifully camouflaged hunting spider carefully approaches the bug before deciding to equally carefully back away. Murarrie, QLD.
Ladybird and rose aphid - mortal enemies - share a rose leaf. Kyogle, NSW.
Ant-eating jumping spider eating - you guessed it - an ant. Toowong, QLD.
Hapless Technomyrmex ant falls prey to ant lion's carefully crafted sand trap at the bottom of a tree. Oxley Creek, QLD.
The Assassin and the Butterfly
Assassin bug sucks the insides out of a beautiful blue butterfly. Oxley Creek, QLD.
Mud wasp digs a caterpillar out of a mess of rolled up leaves. The wasp paralyses the grub before flying with it back to the nest. Oxley Creek, QLD.
Mud wasp stings a caterpillar into submission for a flight back to the nest. Oxley Creek, QLD.
Ants collect nectar from aphids and are supposed to protect the aphids as payment. In this case it seems the ladybird larva might be disguised by pheromones - the ant didn't seem to care that the larva was sucking the life out of one of its nectaries. In fact at one point said ant checked the victim with carefully probing antennae. It also appears that the other aphids are lining up to be eaten. Silly aphids. Kyogle, NSW.