Crab Spider catches a fly

This Crab Spider (Misumena Vatia) has just catched a fly. Crab spiders get theri name from their big front legs which loosely resemble the legs of a crab. In stead of building a web they sit and wait in a flower to catch their prey. Crab spiders can adjust their skin color to the flower they are hunting from. Most common colors are white and yellow.

comments (2)

Joost Thissen

Lion

I am particularly proud of this picture because I was only using this lens setup for the second day. The lens setup is a combination of my Sony A55, a budget macro tube and an old Minolta 50mm/F1.7 lens I borrowed from a friend. Actually I was walking through the garden with my dad to show him the magnification this setup was capable of when he pointed me to this scene :) Posted 14 years ago, modified 14 years ago

Ferdy Christant

Lion

You have every reason to be proud, Joost. Great capture, description and story! Posted 14 years ago

The Goldenrod crab spider

"Misumena vatia" is a species of crab spider with holarctic distribution. In North America, where it is the largest and best-known flower spider, it is called the goldenrod crab spider or flower spider, because it is commonly found hunting in goldenrod sprays in the autumn.

Info 81 1

Similar species: Spiders

Species identified by Ferdy Christant