Overwhelmed?

 


At first glance, it appears this huge bee is sneaking up on this tiny spider and will surely devour her. It's one of those times when only a photograph will do to preserve the honesty, fragility, and reality of our wild world. 

I discovered her in Greenville, SC. As I stopped and studied, I wondered if the spider had perhaps stumbled into another insects trap or perhaps their egg case, having never seen either one.  At first, I didn't know if she was devouring the strange beige blob or if she was stuck in it and it would devour her.   

This is one of those times when I join my wildlife photography cohorts in reveling in the beauty and the value of capturing the mystery and importance of nature's reality moments.  I was new to the area and had never seen such a spider but I was impressed with her vivid coloration and artistic, perfectly  geometric pattern, not to mention her possible predicament. Despite my reservations, I was compelled to get close to her to get a good shot.  

I was admittedly put off by all the large bees buzzing in this raised flower bed not to mention this colorful but strange new spider to me. One of the things I love about writing about nature, is that I am always presented with new things that inspire me to research to learn more about our natural world. Things however could have gone very differently on this photo adventure.

As for worries of the bee pursuing the spider, little did I know at the time that it's a Green Lynx spider and is named for its animal cousin who's also known for its quick and agile abilities to pounce on prey and whatever threatens it. In this case, the bumblebee is actually the favorite food of this seemingly helpless looking little spider. If it weren't for her being entirely focused on finishing her egg case before cold weather, no doubt she would pounce on the bee and it would be her dinner. Or me.

This would be her last act on earth and she would have to hurry to finish it before the impending cold soon blew into this area. I watched for over an hour as she meticulously wove and tucked all her eggs in the tight little case, anchoring it to safely endure cold winds and impervious to everything around her. Including the bee.

I was reminded that life is short. Like this Green Lynx mom, it's important to be mindful, prioritize and don't be fooled and too intimidated to pursue whatever you love and the initiatives you're dedicated to accomplishing.

Happy travels

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