[Pollinator] These orchids have crabs

[Peter Bernhardt]

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

Irene Palmer helps maintain "Orchis Banks" the area Charles Darwin used to
study wild orchids for his book "On the Various Contrivances By Which
Orchids Are Fertilised By Insects" (1862).  This requires cyclical surveys
of different species at the site.  She snapped these wonderful photos of
crab spiders on Orchis coriophora.  Note the pollinia on the dead drone fly
(Eristalis).  before looking at the photos please read her full message
below.

Peter

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: irenejohnpalmer <irenejohnpalmer at btinternet.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 17, 2011 at 9:42 AM
Subject: Orchid pollination
To: Carol Siegel <growlove at cox.net>
Cc: Peter Bernhardt <bernhap2 at slu.edu>, Retha Meier <rmeier3 at gmail.com>


**
We're busy doing some scanning, so thought you might like to see these. I
don't think I've sent them before. Bear with me if I have. Anyway I'm sure
you know the male crab spider is the tiny one and his large mate will eat
him if he doesn't please her. The other shows a bug orchid, *Orchis
coriophora and* a drone fly *Eristalis tenax *with pollinia; it resembles a
bee. We didn't notice the crab spider initially, it was so well disguised.
I fear the fly was dead. (A handsome male fox is on our yard and has just
peered through the glass door at me. Its getting dark early but the sun is
still shining strongly, although its going down; a lovely autumn day)

Best wishes, Irene
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