Misumena vatia
About
Goldenrod Crab Spiders (German: Veränderliche Krabbenspinne) can be found on all sorts of flowers where they wait for insects to catch with open arms. They are not picky and will eat the biggest bees, wasps and grashoppers they can catch but can also be seen catching butterflies, moths and anyone who is attracted by a colorful flower.
While most crab spiders hunt like this, waiting and grabbing the head of the prey, biting into it and sedating it before starting to liquify it from the inside out, Golden Rod Crab Spiders can also change their color to match the flower they sit on better. The color of the female ranges from neon yellow with very red stripes to alpina white with green stripes. Some make their stripes seem pink, others go for a greenish hue of their bodies. They change color rather quickly.
The sexual dimorphism with Goldenrod Crab Spiders is enormous. While the female is light colored, plump and has short but strong legs, males have a small colorfully striped back, a black head and long black legs with dark stripes. The two back pairs of legs are shorter and sometimes lighter. They can also change their color but are rarely ever light colored.
Sam says
Much like jumping spiders like Pseudeuophrys lanigera, Goldenrod Crab Spiders seem to have very good sight and recognize humans or rather, larger animals, as such. Sometimes I chase them around the flower they sit on because they try to hide as soon as they see someone looking at them. They are very peaceful towards humans, never act threateningly and would rather drop and run if they feel threatened. Males seem to be even more scared and run as soon as someone gets close. Spreading and raising their front legs with them is not a defensive gesture as with other spiders, it's just how they wait for prey.
