Chris Mattison / Nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis) guarding nest of spiderlings. Tintern, Monmouthshire, Wales, June. Focus-stacked image.

James Dunbar / Male Nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis) wrapping up prey, UK. Captive.

James Dunbar / Male Nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis) offering a nupital gift to a female, UK. Captive.

James Dunbar / Pair of Nursery web spiders (Pisaura mirabilis) preparing to mate, UK. Captive.

James Dunbar / Male Nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis) picking up a fly wrapped in silk, UK. Captive.

James Dunbar / Close up of a Nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis) grooming , UK. Captive.

James Dunbar / Pair of Nursery web spiders (Pisaura mirabilis) feeding together, preparing to mate, UK. Captive.

James Dunbar / Female Nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis) accepting nupital gift from mate, UK. Captive.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Nursery web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) guarding cocoon and recently hatched spiderlings. Podere Montecucco, Orvieto, Umbria, Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis) guarding egg cocoon. Torrealfina, Orvieto, Italy, May.

Andy Sands / Nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis) female carrying egg sack, Oxfordshire, England, UK, June

Lorraine Bennery / Nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis) female with egg cocoon, Fontainebleau forest, France, July.