‘”Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower, we will grieve not; rather find strength in what remains behind.”  -Wordsworth

It seems to me that I have not posted in some time. For various reasons, I have not had much time or energy for photography or blogging recently. I do manage short bursts of inspiration, and I have plans for a few more in-depth posts, but for now I can only offer this gorgeous Tibellus oblongus that I shot the other day while digging for ants.

These slender spiders are members of the Philodromidae, or running crab spiders, and are most at home lying on grasses and slender twigs as ambush predators.

Here is one I photographed this summer showing her hunting prowess.

Their longitudinal stripes help them blend in with the substrate, and they are quite tricky to spot until they move.

I found this individual, as well as one more buried in the soil beneath a clump of tall grass.

I find the lines of these spiders very elegant, and they are definitely pleasing to photograph.

Next time you are out in a grassy meadow, keep an eye out for these cryptic hunters!