spiders can be beautiful

...they forecast rain but we have actually enjoyed a lovely day of sunny periods. When the sun comes out, lots of these pretty little jumping spiders (Philaeus chrysops) can be found sunning themselves in the lavender. This one is a male. They are quite difficult to capture because, as well as being small, they sense when something approaches and quickly jump to the other side of the leaf or stalk.

Strangely enough, I nearly posted a completely different and far less handsome spider. I was busy stalking hornets again when one flew close enough to a tube web spider's (Segestria fiorentina) tunnel like web to touch one of its silk sensing lines and cause it to come out. Unfortunately, being nocturnal, it vanished back in again before I could snap it.