...and dying

The above shot completes my Philadelphus series. This crab spider, the same individual featured on the previous post, trapped a fly that had come to feed on the flowers.

Feeding, hunting, resting, mating...

Around the summer solstice, the Philadelphus or mock orange blossoms. In addition to its lovely scent, its broad, cup-like white flowers make a beautiful background for insect photography. It is just fitting that insects love these flowers too. The following photos were taken yesterday and today.
Small spiders such as this crab spider (above) sit on the flowers to ambush flying insects attracted to them. Small garden spiders build their webs also amongst the blossom.

A fly resting

Carpet beetle (Anthrenus sp.) feeding on pollen

Greenbottle (Lucilia sp)

Bumblebees often feed on the blossom. Here, Bombus terrestris.

A mating pair of ichneumon wasps

A small bee (Hylaeus?) enjoying the pollen