Whitebanded Crab Spider

I had a large (about the size of a nickel) female white banded crab spider on my buttefly bush last year. She was just gorgeous & would change colors on her bands to reflect the surface she was on. We would check on her every day. I was so sad when she disappeared... I'll look for my photo of her & post it.

I found this spider, a white form, on my Coral Porterweed early September. It had captured a butterfly and was hauling it off. I'd never seen one before and found it quite fascinating.

Crab Spiders hold their legs crab-like .. out at the sides, and can walk forward, backward, or sideways. Many have horns or ornaments on the head or abdomen, and some mimic bird droppings.

Males are smaller than females and have much longer legs. Crab spiders wait in ambush for passing insects; some hold their front legs outstretched in readiness.

Their jaws are small, and after prey is bitten .. it is held above the spider and sucked dry. Those that sit on flowers .. apparently have a toxin potent to bees, flies, and other insects much larger than themselves .. including butterflies.

They do not use silk to capture prey .. but in courship, the male may wrap his prospective mate loosely in silk. Females of most species guard the egg sac, but d... read moreie before the eggs hatch.