Pest Library

Characteristics

The whitebanded crab spider received its name for having an appearance that is similar to a crab. The whitebanded comes from the white line that goes across the eyes. To know if the spider is a Misumenoides, observe its eyes. The white banded crab spider, also known as the Misumenoides, has eight eyes (just like its relatives, the Misumena) but only six of her eyes can be viewed from the front. The two remaining eyes are facing sideways, lying across the ridge on its face.

Other characteristics:
• The female spider is .20 to .44 inches in length
• The male spider is .10 to .13 inches in length
• Two pairs of its legs are longer and are similar to a crab
• Color may range from yellow to white or light brown depending on the color of the flower they are sitting
• The abdomen may or may not have a red, black, or brown markings.

Habitat

This crab spider does not survive by building a web and trapping their prey on it. This spider is known for its skill as a hunter and ability to ambush its prey. At times, these spiders are seen where flowers are blooming. The whitebanded crab spider can be seen sitting on or under flowers, leaves, bark, and the likes.

Behavior

The whitebanded crab spider likes to ambush its prey. They will strategically sit for their prey to arrive where they will not be seen and wait until a flying victim comes by. The front legs of this spider are strong, which allows it to seize its prey, even insects that are much larger than them. They can walk forward, backward and sideways depending on their needs.

Food

Their common victims are pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, flies, wasps, and the likes because they prefer to stay in fields and in gardens. But, they can also eat any insects or even spiders that they can capture, even insects that are larger than them. They feed during the day when pollinators are also active, but they can also be active at night when insects become active.

They are good in ambushing their prey when they least expect it. They will inject their venom on their victim while using their two front legs to hold their prey. Instead of wrapping their prey, they will just suck their victims dry.

Life Cycle

This spider has less than one year to live. The males mature faster than the females and will search for as many sedentary females as they can to mate. They will die soon after they have fulfilled their purpose. Once the female is ready to have her eggs, she will search for a nesting site where she can place egg sac. Her egg sac can contain 80 to 180 eggs that she will protect until she dies at the beginning of winter. Once the eggs hatch, these spiderlings will still stay in their sac until spring. The spiderlings will start as orphans once they leave their sac and start a new cycle of sitting, feeding, waiting for their prey, and mating in the summer.

Other Information and Tips

Just like the goldenrod crab spiders, the whitebanded crab spiders are known for their ability to change colors depending on the type of flower they are sitting in. They do not pose a threat to people. In fact, these spiders are being admired for their unique abilities of camouflaging and their ability to ambush preys larger than them. Individuals who find them in gardens, sitting on top of a flower, love to watch these arachnids in action.

Photo by David Hill, used under CC BY 2.0 / resized from original