A range of appetites — lust to dust — happening here. The crab spider has snagged a fly for supper and a pair of blister beetles are busy making baby beetles. Meanwhile, almost out of sight, another beetle minding its own business.
Blister beetles (one of the longhorn beetles) are a staple of our roses. Judging by last summer each rose will soon house at least one.
Although the beetles didn’t pay me any attention the crab spider was more alert and started to drag her meal off the petal.
The spider settled down after a few minutes and hauled her catch back up again.
Next time you pass a blossom take a second look — who’s living in your flowers?
Blister beetle Lytta spp. ?
Goldenrod crab spider Misumena vatia
Prickly wild rose Rosa acicularis (Provincial flower of Alberta)
The Lens and I 
I love these photos! It seems that when you look closely at flowers you see lots of insects. It’s an interesting and complex part of the strategies of both.
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Thank you. Looking at the overlooked is full of surprises. Ya just never now who you’ll meet. 😉
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You captured so much intimate action in this one rose blossom, Sally! Death and the process of procreation side by side. Wonderful images!
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It was definitely a surprise, Pete. In fact I didn’t notice the little shy beetle until I’d taken several shots. I guess everyone was focussed on his or her own business. 🙂
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I guess they were, and would be 🙂
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I’m continually surprised by the number of insects I find in flowers. I think the most impressive are the prickly pear blooms — at least, in the numbers and varieties of bees and flies they can support at one time. You have the equivalent of a daytime soap opera happening here — the only thing missing is the ne-er-do-well kid who wants to come back home. It’s great that you happened to find it.
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Soap opera? Luv it. Roses are especially good sources as they have such open blooms (as do prickly pear but the boreal forest is a tad short on those). 🙂
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They do say the rose is the flower of romance!
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Then the air is full of it here as roses are popping out everywhere. 🙂
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These are great photos. They really capture the truth of a rose. A Rose can reflect love and death simultaneously. what are the chances of that?
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Thanks Tobias. It certainly surprised me. 🙂
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