Some Spring Spiders.

Jumping Spider, Marpissa muscosa, on the back balcony rail of my house in Hayes, 24 May 2012.

These active spiders are always exploring walls and often get into the house through open windows in summer.  They move in a jerky way and stalk insects as prey, using their big sensitive eyes.  I've seen them stalking, but never seen a capture.  It's only the use of flash that makes the background of this photo look dark.

Spider, Philodromus species, on an Oak tree.  Hayes Common, 23 May 2012.

I don't know much about this one, which I saw while walking through the common.  I try to watch out for invertebrates, and sometimes even tiny ones catch my eye, like this one on an oak leaf.  This one has an unusual target pattern on its backside. 

Crab Spider, Misumena vatia, on Oxeye Daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare.  High Elms Country Park, 30 May 2012.

This one looks quite sinister, perhaps because of its shadow looming behind.  It blends in well with its environment and waits for unsuspecting insects to visit the flower it has chosen to wait in.  It can change its colouring to some extent, varying the amount of yellow and white.  Strangely, I saw several last year sitting in the bright magenta flowers of Rosebay Willowherb.

Do you think baby animals are appealing?  How about these:

Spiderlings of the Garden Spider, Araneus diadematus,  on my back balcony in Hayes on 24 May 2012.

The newly hatched Garden Spiders hang together for a while after they hatch.  They look obvious, almost fluorescent, but if they are startled they scatter with amazing speed, which must surely confuse any predator.