As a follow-up to last week’s preview, here is the complete story of my recent encounter with a Bold Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax) and a female Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis). The photos are a bit graphic, particularly for those of us who like dragonflies, but they illustrate the reality of nature that even super predators like dragonflies can easily become prey.
As I was walking at my local marshland park, I spotted a bright green dragonfly perched on the boardwalk and suspected immediately that it was a female Eastern Pondhawk. I moved in slowly to get a shot and was a bit surprised when the dragonfly did not take off when I got close. This is the initial view I had of the dragonfly.
I looked closely at the dragonfly and noticed that it was lying on its side and appeared to be dead. Wondering what might have caused its demise, I picked up the dragonfly’s body to do some amateur forensic analysis. (I obviously watched to many televisions shows about crime scene investigations.) As I lifted the body toward my eyes, I was shocked to find that a fuzzy black spider was still attached to it. Apparently the spider had been hiding in the gap between the boards as it feasted on the dragonfly.
Somewhat in shock, I dropped the dragonfly back onto the boardwalk and the fall caused the spider to be separated from its prey. Undeterred, it quickly set off to recapture the dragonfly.
The spider grabbed the dragonfly in a headlock and began to drag it back toward the gap between the synthetic boards of the boardwalk. It seemed totally oblivious to my presence.
When it reached the gap, the spider paused for a few seconds, as though considering possibility of dragging the body through the gap.
The spider decided to give it a try and did its best to pull the body in, starting with the head.
Despite the spider’s best efforts, however, the dragonfly’s body was simply too big.
As I left the scene, the spider had again settled down out of sight below the surface of the boardwalk, happily enjoying its meal and presumably hoping that it would not be disturbed again.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Amazing sequence!
Wow. Very cool story told well by your photos, as well as your words. I wonder if the dragonfly was already dead before the spider found it, or not?
I have talked with some friends about this very question. Most of them seem to think that the jumping spider, which can move really fast, managed to take down the dragonfly while it was alive and perched on the boardwalk. It’s a bit unusual to see a dead dragonfly–they seem to die out of sight most of the time.
Fascinating stuff!
Incredible observation and wonderful photos!
Spiders have to eat too. That’s something you don’t see every day though. Well done!
Well told and illustrated. Life at work I guess.
Oh so creepy but really great documenting!
An amazing series of pictures!
You really have to admire the spider for not only getting the dragonfly (however that happened) but then dragging it over to the crack in the boards so it could be safely out to sight while dinner was served. Great post.
I’m conflicted: I can’t “Like” your post because I love me some dragonflies. Nonetheless, great catch and good photos!
A beautiful series of images, Mike. Though I’d rather see spiders eat icky things I don’t like, like flies or mosquitoes or something…not the pretty, dainty dragonflies!
I’m with you on the subject of the spider’s diet, but the scene was so compelling with the dragonfly that I was totally drawn into it.
Oh, yuck, but even spiders have to eat. Great photostory.
Pretty darn smart of the spider to hide while chowing down.
Fascinating!! I love dragonflies but realize this is part of nature. You captured the event beautifully both in story and pictures!!
Thanks. I too love dragonflies. I have seen a dragonfly caught in a spider’s web before and I am amazed in this case that a spider could actually capture a dragonfly without a web. I sometimes have to remember that dragonflies, despite their beauty, are fierce predators and I sometimes feel bad when I see a dragonfly with a bee in its grasp (I like bees too).
What an awesome set Mike … I was just reading your other post about this spider and was wondering if you got round to the complete set … and you have … Well caught for both you and the spider.
Thanks, Marco. Sometimes I get so caught up in taking photos that I lag behind in processing them and posting them.
[…] Powell | Spider captures dragonfly – the story | 27 May, […]
Wow, it’s always amazing to see creatures that will take on something so much bigger than themselves. Great images–those spider eyes are quite something!
I love those jumping spiders with the entire row of eyes, but, alas, see them only rarely. I still am amazed that one was able to catch a dragonfly, because these spiders don’t build webs. I think they leap on you and inject a neurotoxin that immobilized you. Yikes!
The dragonfly probably never saw it coming!
That top image looks like it is wearing a jumping spider hat! I had to double-take on that one. Nice shots, Mike!
Thanks, Pete. That was a memorable encounter for me.
[…] and also a case when a jumping spider took down a much larger dragonfly (see my 2014 posting Spider captures dragonfly—the story for a fascinating series of […]
Wauw !
David and Goliath! Those spiders are tough.
In my garden, I once came upon what I thought was a dragonfly perched on a bamboo stake. However, upon closer inspection saw that a spider had decapitated it, and it was feasting away under the body. I took pix but never posted them, as I thought it wouldn’t please my ‘floral’ followers. 😉 Nature is pretty crazy.
Spiders are able to immobilize their subjects with toxins, which I think is why they are able to take down bigger prey sometimes. Only occasionally will I hesitate a bit in posting a photo, like when there is a butterfly that is caught by a spider or when a snake is swallowing a frog. My default position is that I will post the photos, albeit with a warning.
[…] that had captured a much larger dragonfly. I encourage you to check out that 2014 posting called Spider captures dragonfly—the story to see some images that are both startling and fascinating and to learn more details of that […]