For the Phaeacians have no pilots, nor steering-oars such as other ships have, but their ships of themselves understand the thoughts and minds of men, [560] ... most swiftly do they cross over the gulf of the sea, hidden in mist and cloud, nor ever have they fear of harm or ruin.
Instead of invading webs, Phaeacius is an ambush predator that lives on tree trunks.
With its markings, flattened body shape and unusual posture, it blends into bark.
Its preferred prey is other jumping spiders. As such prey has excellent vision, camouflage is essential to Phaeacius' strategy.
When prey close by and active, Phaeacius waits motionless until the prey is within range and then attacks with a sudden lunge.
(?) When hunting insects and non-salticid spiders, it ?
Against other jumping spiders, Phaeacius uses insinuation: moving in the flattened pose, it walks slowly, which compensates for the prey's excellent vision. Phaeacius uses insinuation when salticid prey is looking the wrong way and the background matches the markings of Phaeacius.