Misumenoides formosipes is a species of crab spiders (Thomisidae), belonging to the genus Misumenoides ("crab" or "flower" spiders). The species' unofficial common name is white banded crab spider, which refers to a white line that runs through the plane of their eyes. This species is a sit-and-wait predator that captures pollinators as they visit the inflorescences on which the spider sits. The spider has strong front legs which are used to seize prey. The female spider is much larger than the male. The pattern of markings on females is variable and the overall color of the body can change between white and yellow dependent on the color of their surroundings. The color pattern for males, which does not change in their lifetime, differs from females in that the four front legs of males are darker and the abdomen is gold. The spider can be found throughout the United States. Males search for sedentary females within a heterogeneous habitat and guard them until they are sexually mature to reproduce.
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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starts withWhite banded crab spiders are differentiated from other similar species by the presence of the white ridge below the bottom row of eyes. They get the name crab spider because of their resemblance to crabs in their shape and front legs.
Female M. formosipes hunt by waiting on inflorescences and capturing pollinators that visit the flower. Male M. formosipes are nectarivores and get a majority of their nutrients from consuming nectar from Daucus carota, commonly known as Queen Anne's Lace. Since the male M. formosipes are significantly smaller than the females, they are able to benefit from the low amounts of sucrose found in nectar.
