Goldenrod Crab Spider
Misumena vatia
Goldenrod crab spiders live on flowers in meadows, gardens, and woodland edges, where they wait for visiting insects. They are ambush predators, holding their long front legs open to seize bees, flies, and butterflies before biting them with venom. Their best-known trait is slow color change between white and yellow, helping them blend with petals over several days. Females are much larger than males and often guard their egg sacs on folded leaves.
- Type
- Stealth / Venom
- Conservation status
- NE