Whitebanded Crab Spider,
Misumenoides formosipes

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$Whitebanded Crab Spider, Misumenoides formosipes on Miss Huff Lantana\nPhoto taken in Orange Co., NC on September 09, 2006.$ $Whitebanded Crab Spider, Misumenoides formosipes\nIn stalking mode!\nPhoto taken in my yard in Orange Co., NC on September 17, 2006.$ $Whitebanded Crab Spider, Misumenoides formosipes\nPhoto taken in my yard in Orange Co., NC on September 17, 2006.$ $Whitebanded Crab Spider, Misumenoides formosipes\nWith captured Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.\nPhoto taken in Orange Co., NC on September 19, 2006.$ $Whitebanded Crab Spider, Misumenoides formosipes\nPhoto taken in my yard in Orange Co., NC on September 17, 2006.$ $Whitebanded Crab Spider, Misumenoides formosipes\nPhoto taken in Orange Co., NC on September 19, 2006.$ $Whitebanded Crab Spider, Misumenoides formosipes\nOn wingstem flowers.\nPhoto taken in Orange Co., NC on September 19, 2006.$ $Whitebanded Crab Spider, Misumenoides formosipes\nOn New York Ironweed.\nPhoto taken in Orange Co., NC on September 19, 2006.$ $Whitebanded Crab Spider, Misumenoides formosipes\nMale on goldenrod.\nPhoto taken in Orange Co., NC on September 19, 2006.$
This is a flower stalking spider, they can take much larger prey than themselves as you can see on the second row first photo. Identifying these can be difficult, the white ridge below the eye and shape of the eyes is key here. The white ridge can also be yellow also making for lots of confusion. I read that a yellow form can lay eggs on white flowers and the young will be white, the same in reverse with white on yellow flowers. Some say that a yellow form placed on white flowers will in a few days turn white, others say this is not true.

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This page was last updated on September 19, 2006.

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