crab spiders

related flower hunters

ID tips and example photos

goldenrod crab spider
Misumena vatia

• two rows of eyes, all the same size, often (always?) arranged in the borders of a crescent-shaped darker marking
• no spines on body
• leg spines are only in a row on each of the front two pairs of legs
• females are larger, white to yellow, eye area tinged red, with red band on both sides of abdomen or not
• males are smaller, cephalothorax and front two pairs of legs red to reddish-brown, rear two pairs of legs yellow, abdomen white with dorsal and lateral red bands
• essentially no black markings
• the only other species of this genus that may occur in the US hasn’t been seen since it was described in 1898 [source]

white-banded crab spider
Misumenoides formosipes

• spines unknown (similar to Misumena?)
• black markings common, especially at joints

genus Mecaphesa

genus Mecaphesa

• has short spines/hairs on body and legs
• two rows of eyes; front outside eyes larger than front inside eyes [although the difference is small]
• multiple species in the bay area