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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Crab Spiders (Thomisidae) » Flower Crab Spiders (Misumena) » Goldenrod Crab Spider (Misumena vatia)
Photo#7895
Crab Spider - Misumena vatia
Copyright © 2004 Tony DiTerlizzi

Crab Spider - Misumena vatia
Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
August 13, 2004
I think this is a Goldenrod Crab spider...can anyone verify?

This was shot in a field near our house, on a head of Queen Anne's Lace. It was late in the afternoon and the body almost seemed to glow against the white of the flowers.
Contributed by Tony DiTerlizzi on 12 October, 2004 - 9:56pm

closeup
Cropped Tony's image to get a closeup of the face for an article
… john and jane balaban, 27 November, 2005 - 2:04pm

M. vatia
Tony, this looks almost exactly like the spider I imaged. It's definitely not confined to Goldenrod so I don't know why that's the common name. This an excellent natural shot.
… Tom Adams, 14 October, 2004 - 9:05pm

 
Thanks Tom,
So it is a Goldenrod Crab...Wow, what a broad color variation...is the color dependent on the plant they are hunting on? I usually see the yellow ones on yellow flowers.

Thanks
-T
… Tony DiTerlizzi, 15 October, 2004 - 8:38am

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