Earning their stripes

Just over a month ago, I found the garden crawling with tiny, white spiderlings.  Since then, I have been observing their progress intently.  Many of the crab spiders have captured enough prey to increase several times in size (for example, compare the spider in this picture to the one below).

A juvenile crab spider waits for its next meal.

Others have changed in appearance, as well as in size.  These spiders now sport dark stripes on the head, abdomen, and forelimbs; they may be juvenile males approaching their adult coloration.

A juvenile crab spider (Thomisidae), most likely a male Misumena vatia.

One thing that hasn't changed is that there are still crab spiders nearly everywhere I look.  They are on plant stalks, leaves, seed pods, and - of course - flowers.  However, space on flowers is limited.  Crab spiders attempting to take up residence on a new flower may find themselves too close to a hungry neighbor.

Two crab spiders face off on a flower.