Tiny Predator

First thing this morning, I managed to add another tick to my life lists. I noticed on top of our compost bin, there were the remains of a Garden Spider with the head and thorax missing and only the abdomen left. Some inches away, there were a couple of dismembered legs from the unfortunate spider and between the two parts, the culprit sat, looking menacing - but tiny! This was the abdomen of the Garden Spider...

The perpetrator of this grizzly scene was a another spider. Much smaller and rather attractive (if a spider can ever be described as attractive), with translucent legs and a pink abdomen. It turned out to be a specimen of Enoplognatha ovata.

Known for being particularly ferocious little predators, they often prey on creatures much larger than themselves, as indeed this one had - the Garden spider must have been ten times the size of the
Enoplognatha ovata.

Later, when Malcolm and I returned home from shopping, the spider was still there and by now had returned to its meal. It was now to be found feasting on the legs of its prey.

I think this is a female. Enoplognatha ovata is very variable in both colour and pattern and rather common in British gardens, but it was a great start to the day, being able to add a new tick - even a somewhat alarming one!