Beech blight aphids attacking spider

Here’s a spider being attacked by beech blight aphids (Grylloprociphilus imbricator). The spider eventually dropped off the tree trunk onto the forest floor and crawled away, twitching slightly. This is a known defensive behavior of the aphids, but I’d never seen it before. Apparently the stylets are sharp enough to puncture human skin, too. Wish I’d managed to get better photographs, of course.

Beech blight aphid (Grylloprociphilus imbricator) attacking a spider

Clayton Park, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States.

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