Small crab spider (probable)
Thomisidae, likely Misumena or Misumenoides species
- Order & Family
- Araneae (spiders), Thomisidae (crab spiders)
- Size
- Usually 3–10 mm in body length; females are generally larger than males.
Natural Habitat
Vegetation, flowers, leaf surfaces, and occasionally windows or indoor surfaces. They occur in gardens, grasslands, woodland edges, and homes near outdoor vegetation.
Diet & Feeding
Predatory, feeding mainly on flies, bees, moths, and other small arthropods. They ambush prey rather than building capture webs.
Behavior Patterns
Named for their sideways crab-like movement and enlarged front legs. Many species wait motionless on flowers and can change color slowly to blend with them; females guard egg sacs but do not actively hunt while guarding.
Risks & Benefits
They are harmless to people, with bites rare and typically minor. They benefit gardens by controlling pollinating and plant-eating insects, though they may capture bees or other beneficial pollinators.