A small male spider approaches the much larger female while she is feeding.

Timing is Everything

Timing is everything, when you are a male spider looking to make your move. The small spider in the upper right hand corner is likely the male counterpart to the larger female feasting on a snared stinkbug. This extreme size dimorphism is common among spiders. The make has to be very careful because the female will eat him like she eats any arthropod she finds in her web. She does not differentiate his intentions. So, the tiny male must sneak his way in to the web, be very careful not to create vibrations that will alert her. This fellow seems to be intently watching the female feed, perhaps contemplating whether now would be a good time. When I left them, the female had left her meal to idle nearby, but the male was still in his same location. Perhaps now was not quite it. After all, timing is everything.It’s not the greatest photo, obviously. I increased the aperture to get all the players in view, and sacrificed shutter speed. But, the moment is preserved.