Misumenoides formosipes (Whitebanded Crab Spider)

Summary

The "Whitebanded Crab Spider," Misumenoides formosipes, is one of two North American spiders that can change color. The other is the Goldenrod Crab Spider, Misumena vatia. M. formosipes is also known as the “Ridge-faced Crab Spider,” owing to an angular ridge beneath its eyes. The Goldenrod Crab Spider lacks such a ridge. The pattern of markings on female Whitebanded Crab Spiders is variable, but dark spots or bands are often present at the leg joints. Changing from yellow to white, or vice versa, takes the spider at least one day, usually more. Males, a fraction the size of their mates, are strikingly different. This spider waits in ambush on flowers for visiting insects to come within range, seizing a victim in the embrace of its first two pairs of legs. Males are known to drink nectar from flowers. This species occurs over most of the U.S., but is largely absent in the Pacific Northwest and Great Basin. Ontario is the only Canadian province where it is known.