Goldenrod Crab Spiders

Misumena vatia is a species of crab spider with a holarctic distribution. In North America, it is called the Goldenrod Crab Spider or flower (crab) spider, as it is commonly found hunting in goldenrod sprays and milkweed plants. Misumena vatia feeds primarily on common insects and frequently eats prey that is much bigger than themselves. They are harmless to humans, but they employ poison to paralyze their victims.

Because of their unusual ability to move sideways in addition to forward and backward, they are known as crab spiders. Before reaching their mature sizes, both men and females of this species go through a number of molts, while females must molt more in order to attain their greater size. Males are fairly little, growing to a maximum of 5 mm, whereas females can reach a maximum of 10 mm (0.39 in). Typically, misumena vatia are white, yellow, or have a combination of these two hues. In addition, they might appear in a pattern with white and a light shade of green or pink rather than yellow. Through the process of molting, they have the capacity to switch between these hues depending on their circumstances.