Caught in a web

I found this juvenile five-lined skink inside a ground blind July 24. How this poor, unfortunate little lizard got tangled in a spider's web I do not know. I photographed it and watched it for about 15 minutes. It was helplessly caught.

Nature is not always pleasant, but all critters must find their own way to survive. The spider had already poisoned the skink and was perched on its web only 6 inches above the tiny lizard waiting for it to stop squirming. I did not interfere and left before the spider came down.

Five-lined skinks are native to our area. They have bright blue tails for the first year or so of their life. They can live for five or six years. They eat insects. My research said these skinks are preyed upon by hawks, skunks, snakes and even armadillos. Being preyed upon by spiders was not mentioned.