27 June 2008

Ready to pounce

This goldenrod crab spider is waiting for some prey to turn up. It doesn't spin a web, just lunges out and grabs its victims.

Goldenrod Crab Spider
It was defying its name and sitting on this plant, rather than a goldenrod:

Common Mullein
I'm sure that this striking furry-leaved plant should be easy to identify, but I haven't managed to yet.

[Postscript: It's Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) - thanks to Daphne for identifying it!]

There's a lot of Bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) out:

Bird's-foot trefoil
It goes particularly well with the American vetch that is also flowering at the moment. It's a fore-taste of the colour combination of the goldenrods and asters that will appear in late summer.

American vetch and bird's foot trefoil

2 comments:

Daphne Gould said...

It kinda looks like mullein. If it sends up a huge flower stalk then you know it is.

Amanda said...

Daphne, thank you so much - I looked up mullein and I'm sure you're right. The pictures of Common Mullein on Wikipedia look just like it. Not knowing what it was has been annoying me for ages!