This spring I seem to be lucky in finding spiders with their prey. Not too long ago I discovered a little canopy jumping spider (Phidippus otiosus) that had captured a house fly. Last week it was this tiny little northern crab spider (Mecaphesa asperata) with an ant. Crab spiders are named for their long first legs that they sometimes wave around similar to the way a crab my wave it’s claws. They’re also known to be active hunters that like to hide in flowers and ambush their prey when they come to feed. Like our springtime pollinators, these little spiders love the purple thistle flowers. I’ve seen quite a few of them so far this spring and all but one have been in the thistle flowers. I really enjoy watching them move stealthily through the flower, but this is the first time I’ve seen one with prey.