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green crab spider

crab spider (Misumessus oblongus) [male]
Illinois Status: common, native
Photo © Hank Guarisco

Features and Behaviors

FEATURES
The female of this species is about one-fifth inch to one-fourth inch in total body length. The male is from slightly less than one-tenth of an inch to one-tenth of an inch in total body length. There are no spines on the abdomen in the female, and there is no white ridge of light color above the mouth. The female’s cephalothorax is usually light green with no banding. Her abdomen is white and may show red marks on the sides. The legs are light green without marks. The male has short spines on the abdomen.

BEHAVIORS
The green crab spider can be found statewide. It lives in fields and prairies. Adults are active from summer through early fall.

Illinois Range

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Family: Thomisidae

Habitats

Prairie and Edge Habitats
black soil prairie; dolomite prairie; edge; gravel prairie; hill prairie; sand prairie; shrub prairie