Skip to content
CivicMapleEveryday answers, clearly mapped.
Nature

Goldenrod Crab Spider

What is goldenrod crab spider?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

Scientific name Misumena vatia[2]
Common name goldenrod crab spider[2]
Family Thomisidae[1]
Found in Europe and North America[2]
Body color white or yellow[2]

The goldenrod crab spider (Misumena vatia) is a crab spider found in Europe and North America, known for hunting on flowers and changing color to match them.

Context

The goldenrod crab spider (Misumena vatia) is a species of crab spider found in Europe and North America [2]. It is commonly called the goldenrod crab spider or flower crab spider because it hunts on goldenrod sprays and milkweed plants [2]. Unlike many spiders, it does not spin webs to catch prey; instead, it waits on flowers and grabs insects that come near [3]. It can change its body color from white to yellow to blend in with the flower it is on [3].

Documented claims

  • It is commonly found hunting on goldenrod sprays and milkweed plants. [2]
  • It does not spin webs to catch prey; instead it waits on flowers and grabs insects. [3]
  • It can change body color from white to yellow to blend with the flower it is on. [3]

Related

Wolf SpiderWolf spiders are another common type of spider that people might encounter in similar habitats.

Questions and answers

Is the goldenrod crab spider rare?

The sources do not indicate rarity, but it is found in Europe and North America [2].

Are goldenrod crab spiders found in Canada?

Yes, they are found in North America, which includes Canada [2].

Is the goldenrod crab spider poisonous?

The sources do not mention toxicity, but it is a crab spider that hunts insects [3].

Sources

  1. Spider Facts - Goldenrod Crab Spider — kidzone.ws (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Goldenrod Crab Spider (Misumena vatia): Facts, Identification & Pictures — spideridentifications.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. Goldenrod Crab Spider - Insect Identification — insectidentification.org (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Nature