Crab spiders are a family of small, pretty spiders, some of which you could find in your own backyard or even on a potted plant. They are accomplished ambush hunters, making meals out of insects much larger than themselves – a crab spider half the size of your fingernail can easily grab a large butterfly. They are coloured to blend in remarkably with their surroundings, much like an octopus or a chameleon would. They perch on a hunting platform of their choice – usually the centre or base of a flower – and lie in waiting  for their prey to venture close enough.

Researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, explore how insectivorous plants attract insects.

Scientists from the University of Plymouth, UK, George Washington University, USA, Imperial College London, UK, and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, India, explore a leathal fungus threatening the existence of frogs.

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, find how geckos from India could have spread into and adapted to the Sri Lankan environment.