A tiny garden celebrity is back in the Reddit spotlight.
In a new update on r/gardening, a goldenrod crab spider dubbed "Queen Olivia" has returned to center stage among the gardener's Olivia Rose Austin roses.
The tiny spider first caught Reddit's attention when a gardener shared photos of her perched among the blooms. In the latest installment, the original poster said Queen Olivia appeared to be staying put, writing that "she is still in the same spot" and sharing new photos readers had requested.
The photos show a predominantly white goldenrod crab spider with pink stripes on either side of its body, somewhat blending in with the pink roses considered to be its hunting grounds. In a third photo installment, the spider can be seen eating a bee, one of its common prey.
Commenters were quick to share their own photos of encounters with the same spider species, noting that they can actually change color to enhance their camouflage abilities.
"Also, the fact that she's still hunting (the posture of her 2 legs held up is to catch bug meals) means she is likely eating, and has not laid eggs yet," wrote one user.
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Crab spiders are ambush hunters that help control other insect populations without chemical sprays, making them one example of the natural balance that can develop in a garden.
Native plant landscaping and pollinator-friendly gardening can create a habitat that attracts vital insects — and the predators that feed on them. Supporting biodiversity can reduce the need for pesticides while giving beneficial creatures a place to thrive.
As a result, more people are rethinking traditional yards and exploring pollinator-friendly gardening ideas or smarter landscaping choices at home.
Regarding the spider's ability to change colors, one commenter explained, "It also apparently takes them days to weeks to shift colors. Not like a chameleon or octopus that can do it instantly, which explains why this one wants to hang out on a single flower for so long."
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"I had a purple one in my mom's lilacs when I was a kid. I used to assume they scratched out pigment or oils from the petals and painted themselves to blend in. I thought they were super cool," said another user.
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