Wonderfull wonderfull picture Sarah!
I have already sent it to a Apidae- and a Aranae-colleage of mine. Have you caught some of the Milichiidae?
Andr

That is a fantastic photo. I am going to look up Desmopetopa now and see what these flies are about!

maybe Thomisidae / Philodromidae?

Milichiidae

The spider is one of the Thomisidae, the flies are Milichiidae, the prey is Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae). A little more info is here: http://www.dipter...ead_id=528.

Oops, as I?m beggining I can only distinguish between Thomisidae and Philodromidae with the philodromidae tarsal ?brushes?(like dark little shoes seen from normal distance). Thomisidae have only the tarsal claws, I was suspecting Philodromidae

Anyway thank you andre, I?m trying to "study hard" Diptera but many Araneae are really easier, so I had no idea about that nice Milichiidae

It?s incredible, they (Thomisidae) are very good predators, being really small preying Eristalis:
http://www.insect...ge_id=2025

(I?ve linked diptera.info there). I can?t understand how somebody?s been able to identify the spider (not seeing eyes nor abdomen!) but I?m happy I identified the Eristalis
... I supose

I think the spider is Thomisus onustus, see: http://www.mnhn.f.../home.html.

You DID identify the Eristalis (tenax) right!

The spider belongs to the Thomisidae family. Yes, it is a Thomisus onustus Walckenaer, 1805. This is pink, but there is yellow and white specimens. )