Striped Lynx Spider

Found this little Stripped Lynx Spider in the oregano last summer and was fortunate enough to sit and study him for a little while.  Despite his diminutive size, he was fierce, stalking hoverflies and other insects as they visited the blossoms.  I didn’t see him capture anything, but there were a few close but ultimately aborted attempts.

For most of my life I had a fear of spiders, due in part to encounters I had as a while with wolf-spiders-of-unusual-size.  But in recent years, I’ve found that having the opportunity to capture various arachnids through the camera lens has helped diminish that phobia.  I still don’t particularly want them in my home, but they are more than welcome to take up residence in the garden, where I do my best to avoid disturbing their lives.