Flower Crab Spider Misumena vatia

There are several "crab" spiders, named after the way in which they hold their front legs. The Flower Crab Spider is a small ambush predator on flowers.

The larger, round-bodied female (9-11mm long) is often white or mainly white but can change her colour over time to match her background.

The smaller male (only 3-4mm long) is mainly brown or green-brown and cannot change colour.

The Flower Crab Spider is native to much of the northern hemisphere and, in the UK, most common in the south. They hunt on flowers most of the summer.

Other Flower Crab Spiders are more marked. However, most spiders in the genus (and some in related genera) worldwide are also called Flower Crab Spiders.