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Over the last few years I have become more cogniscent with nature and insects due to the interest from my 12 year old. Sitting in the garden last week I saw what I thought was a piece of paper or rubbish in the plant pot that is filled with bright blue and yellow pansies and reed type leaves. On closer inspection it was moving and had legs. Quick rush to get camera with Macro lens attached.

Told 12-year-old when she got home and cue excitement and Google searches. No doubt it was a Crab Spider. Now this must be a particularly stupid one as one of their attributes, other than that they resemble a crab, is that they change colour and can camouflage themselves.  Considering the pot is filled with bright blue and yellow pansies and green reed type leaves, said Crab Spider did not do a good job being…

Our garden is an eco-system, well thats the opinion of the teacher at our daughter’s school and in fact applies to all the form who have a garden. Thinking about it we have foxes, bees, hedgehogs and numerous other invaders and visitors.  Compost is  made and goes on the soil, an oak tree grown from an acorn from Wisley Gardens, apple tree and so on. Anyway whilst photographing this melee of activity today ( whose homework is it?) I met some large and curious spiders. The garden spider is alive and well in New Malden. What however is interesting and there may be a simple reason, is why hardly any of these exist at  Wisley RHS gardens? any clues?

Garden Spider by chris Bushe

Garden Spider by chris Bushe

Garden Spider by chris Bushe