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Insect Identification > Description of the Goldenrod Crab Spider
 

Details of the Goldenrod Crab Spider

CATEGORY:
Spider

COMMON NAME:
"Goldenrod Crab Spider"

SCIENTIFIC NAME:
(Misumena vatia)

TAXONOMY:
(View Orders)
Kingdom: Animalia
  Phylum: Arthropoda
   Class:Arachnida
    Order: Araneae
     Family: Thomisidae
      Genus: Misumena
       Species: vatia

OTHER NAME(S):
Flower Spider


CHARACTERISTICS: This species of spider uses camouflage as its primary defense, but will bite as well. They are able to change their coloration over the course of several days to blend in better with their surroundings.

They are an ambush spider, jumping on their prey. They do this instead of spinning webs.

Males are yellow with red bands or spots on their abdomen. Females are completely white or yellow, lacking bands or spots.

A female lays an egg sac, usually under a leaf, and diligently guards it until the spiderlings hatch (in approximately 3 weeks). She dies shortly thereafter.


ADULT SIZE (Length, not including legs):
3mm to 9mm (0.12in to 0.35in) (Compare Size)

IDENTIFYING COLORS: Yellow; red

North American Reach
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
 
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Picture of Goldenrod Crab Spider
Courtesy of Heather H. from VT


More Pictures of the Goldenrod Crab Spider:
Pic of the Goldenrod Crab Spider
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