Crab Spider

Crab Spider Misumena vatia

Identification
This spider has white or yellow body and can change color.

Location
Common statewide

Size
Quarter inch body

Diet
It feeds on bees butterflies and flies.

Habitat
It occurs in meadows and gardens.

Activity Period
May to September

Behavior
It ambushes prey on flowers. It is active in warm months.

Lifecycle
Breeding occurs in summer.

Population
The population is stable statewide.

History
It has long been present in Ohio.

Human Interactions
It rarely interacts with humans.

Facts
It can change color over several days.

Sources
ODNR NatureServe

Insects | Flowers meadows gardens | Statewide