[Pollinator] Spider and beetle?

[Peter Bernhardt]

Our research consortium is writing up our project on the pollination of two
local varieties of the yellow lady's slipper, Cypripedium parviflorum (var.
parviflorum and var. pubescens).  the main pollinators of both variants are
local, woodland bees and they have been well identified.

Over the years, we recorded whatever entered the inflated labellum but we
did not catch everything that landed on the flower.  Would anyone know an
arrachnologist who might be able to place a family (genus?) name on the
specimen in the photo?  The markings on the abdomen might be distinctive.
As many people know, a number of spiders position themselves on orchids,
and lots of other flowers, to wait for visitors.  Dr. Ralph Holman
discussed a genus of crab spiders associated with some nectar-secreting
orchids in his great book on the orchids of North America.   This spider
has perched near one of the two rear exit holes the bees must use to leave
the flower.

Also, if there is a coleopterist in the house may we safely identify the
beetle as a buprestid? A specimen collected while it was inside a labellum
was identified to that family.   Any additional inquiries regarding the
photo should be made to the photographer,  Dr. Retha Edens-Meier  <
rmeier3 at gmail.com>.

Peter
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