Identifying natural enemies

Identifying natural enemies Return to: grapes web, native plants web

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Crab Spider - Thomisdae
Identifying natural enemies > spiders > crab spider
Adults: Flattened body with diverse coloring, from bright neon to dark with gray and brown patterns. Front two pairs of legs are much longer than the back two pairs. Length 4-8 mm. Diet/web: Ambush hunters use their large legs to grasp unsuspecting prey. Named for their ability to walk sideways, holding their legs crab-like out at their side. Does not make a web.

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This information was developed for the publication Identifying Natural Enemies in Field Crops by Mary Gardiner, Christina DiFonzo, Michael Brewer and Takuji Noma, MSU Extension bulletin E2949.

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12/21/06