Photo Adventures with Curiosity and Learning

Off to Venus drive with Joseph, Jacqueline, James, Chris and Jacob

James found this amazing set-up Crab spider Thomisus guangxicus who had caught a bee. Almost immediately, flies converted on the dead bee but there was another surprise - a male was lurking around -

Here is the male - interested in eating or in mating?

Exploring the bee

Leaving the dis-interested female

Then nearby was a bird-dung spider Cytarachne fangchengenis

While I was distracted - the male found his proper place under the female and, though the leaf was in the way - I suspect he was busy with the mating process

Here you can see the multi-processing - female feasting on bee, flies feasting on bee and male Thomisus guangxicus I suppose enjoying the mating game

Another viewe - there is another winged insect just above the bee wing also

Bees feasting, Female crab spider feasting, male doing his mating thing

The watchful eyes of the female

A symphony of multi-processing - flies, female all feasting on fresh bee and male feasting on female

Male finished

Female and flies

Male crawling away

Hiding under a leaf

Female having lunch

Male, female Thomisus

Male playing with the fly