This beautiful spider had just caught the moth and had started to spin a web around it so that it could not fly off.
During the course of my browsing around trying to find out more about spider eating habits, I came across this article published in 2008 by Patricia A. Michaels and thought it might be of interest.
What do spiders eat Spiders, long considered carnivores, (although there might be exceptions to that rule), traditionally choose insects and other arachnids as their primary source of food. Arachnologists, scientists who study spiders, have long been intrigued by spider diets. One question they consider, "Are Spiders Picky Eaters", has been the subject of both observation and scientific experimentation. Like all scientists, when arachnologists conduct experiments on spider diets, they are trying to stay as objective as possible with respect to the potential answers.
Objectivity in scientific experimentation often loosely translates into scientists trying to prove their thinking is wrong, rather than prove their thinking is correct. Scientifically, the process is known as testing the null hypothesis. A pair of arachnologists conducting experiments on the pickiness of spider eating habits, started with the hypothesis that spiders eat any insects that come their way. They conducted an experiment with an Araneidae species, an orb weaving spider (
Micrathena Gracilis).
Over an extended period of time, they counted the number and size of insects that flew into the web. They also recorded the number and size of the insects that the spider captured for dinner. Testing the null hypothesis meant that the researchers thought that the spider would eat all the insects that landed in the web, regardless of insect size. At the end of their experiment, they concluded that when given the choice between large and small insects caught in the web, the spider preferred larger insects. In scientific terms, they concluded there was a statistically significant relationship between spider diet and insect size. The hypothesis that spiders are picky eaters still stands.
Information supplied by:
http://greennature.com/article120.html
During the course of my browsing around trying to find out more about spider eating habits, I came across this article published in 2008 by Patricia A. Michaels and thought it might be of interest. 
What do spiders eat Spiders, long considered carnivores, (although there might be exceptions to that rule), traditionally choose insects and other arachnids as their primary source of food. Arachnologists, scientists who study spiders, have long been intrigued by spider diets. One question they consider, "Are Spiders Picky Eaters", has been the subject of both observation and scientific experimentation. Like all scientists, when arachnologists conduct experiments on spider diets, they are trying to stay as objective as possible with respect to the potential answers.
Objectivity in scientific experimentation often loosely translates into scientists trying to prove their thinking is wrong, rather than prove their thinking is correct. Scientifically, the process is known as testing the null hypothesis. A pair of arachnologists conducting experiments on the pickiness of spider eating habits, started with the hypothesis that spiders eat any insects that come their way. They conducted an experiment with an Araneidae species, an orb weaving spider (Micrathena Gracilis).
Over an extended period of time, they counted the number and size of insects that flew into the web. They also recorded the number and size of the insects that the spider captured for dinner. Testing the null hypothesis meant that the researchers thought that the spider would eat all the insects that landed in the web, regardless of insect size. At the end of their experiment, they concluded that when given the choice between large and small insects caught in the web, the spider preferred larger insects. In scientific terms, they concluded there was a statistically significant relationship between spider diet and insect size. The hypothesis that spiders are picky eaters still stands.
Information supplied by: http://greennature.com/article120.html
It is fairly small, probably less than 1/2" in diameter but it was very protective.
The egg would probably hold a 100 or so babies in it.
The Lycosidae or wolf spiders, as they are commonly called, are often seen dashing from under the grass trying to escape the lawn mower or doing freestyle in the pool. The family name and common name are derived from the Greek word "lycosa" meaning "wolf" due to the spiders' hunting method of ambushing and running down its prey. Research has shown that the Lycosidae are important in agriculture, as they are efficient controlling agents of insect pests. They are harmless to man.
Lycosids are often parasitised by wasps probably because they are free roaming and do not enjoy the protection of a web. The wasps will parasitise them in one of two ways. Depending on the wasp species, the spider will either be stung and immobilized, stocked into a prepared nest, have an egg laid on it and then sealed into the nest, there may be one or . The wasp larva then hatches and consumes its live prey that eventually dies as the larva pupates. Secondly, a female wasp will immobilize the spider and lay the egg directly onto it. The spider continues living a normal life with the wasp larva feeding on it until the spider becomes too weak and dies. This coincides with the maturation of the wasp larva that then pupates later to emerge as the adult wasp.
I think he must have crawled off one of the cut-off branches as I found him on the paving.
He is very fast and scuttled away whenever I got the camera near, so I let him crawl onto my finger and put him in my tank to take pics.
He is tiny with a body length of less than half an inch but extremely hairy as you can see.
Sitting nearby was a tiny False Button Spider........
I am not sure what these are but look like it might be crickets about to hatch.
and I am sure that this was her food supply for her babies when the are born.
I did a previous article on them, please click here to see it and read more on this interesting spider: Black / Brown Widow Spider 
