There are over 3000 different kinds of crab spiders in the family, which is part of the large Thomisidae family of arachnids.Crab spiders have long legs that are longer in front than in the back, giving them the appearance of a crab.If you learn to identify a crab spider by its appearance and its habitat, you can detect a Thomisidae arachnid.If you ever find a crab spider, it can help you know how to deal with it.
Step 1: Take a peek at the spider's legs.
The longest legs of a crab spider are the back four legs.The front legs can be darker or hairier than the back legs.The crab spider's front 2 legs have very strong claws which they use to grab their prey.
Step 2: You can watch the spider move.
The crab spider's legs are very similar to those of a crab, but their movements are different.The crab spider will move sideways like a crab on the beach if you provoke it.Their legs have something called "laterigrade leg orientation," which means that their legs are rotating at the base, causing them to move sideways.
Step 3: Take a look at the spider.
Crab spiders' coloring is incredibly varied, unlike some spider species like the brown recluse spider.Crab spiders are colored extravagantly to blend into their surroundings instead of looking for an all over color.Because crab spiders can camouflage themselves, they can be bright and vibrantly colored like a flower or fruit, as well as being multicolored to blend into tree branches or leaves.
Step 4: The spider's size is noted.
It is difficult to assign a standard size to this type of spider.The majority of these species range in length from 4 to 10mm.The female crab spiders are always larger than the males, especially when they are storing hundreds of egg sacs, and some males are only 1/3 to 1/2 the size of their female counterparts.Crab spiders have larger and more round abdomens than other spider species, so you should look at the size and shape of the spider's abdomen.
Step 5: There is a spider with eyes.
While the prospect of getting close enough to a spider to check out its eyes can be unnerving to some, crab spiders have distinct eyes.Unlike other insects, spiders have eight eyes that are round and smooth, unlike the two compound eyes of a golf ball.There are two big front eyes for crab spiders.The most common species of crab spiders are brightly colored around these two front eyes, or they have a ridge below these eyes called a "clypeal carina."
Step 6: Find out if there are crab spiders in your area.
There is a large range of climate zones that the crab spiders can survive in.Most parts of the world have seen a few crab spiders, but they are most often found in Northwest Europe, Northern and eastern Australia.
Step 7: Know where to find crab spiders.
If you live in an area where crab spiders are common, the next step in identifying a crab spider is to recognize their preferred environments.Crab spiders will make a home wherever they blend in the best.While these habitats can vary depending on the specific species of crab spider, they most commonly make nest in: Bunches of fruit.
Step 8: There is a spider that hunts.
The majority of crab spiders are not active hunters.Crab spiders sit camouflaged in their nest for days or weeks at a time until a prey wanders too close.The crab spider's clawed front legs are incredibly strong, and they use the additional length of these legs to reach out and grab insects.They inject their prey with venom from their front legs and rarely move their body or back legs while hunting.
Step 9: The spider behaves.
The crab spider is not aggressive.Crab spiders are very timid and fearful of their prey.They are vulnerable to prey because of their uncoordinated leg lengths.Crab spiders will flee to the other side of their nest or abandon their home if they see a predator nearby.
Step 10: Search for the egg sacs.
Crab spiders don't create webs like other species.Crab spiders lay their eggs on whatever surface they've camouflaged themselves with, fastening the eggs to the surface with their silk.If you see any silken egg sacs that are joined at the center, you are most likely looking at a crab spider nest.Female crab spiders will often stay near the egg sacs in order to protect them from other arthropods.
Step 11: A crab spider bite is something to identify.
Spider bites look like puncture marks.Spiders inject venom into their prey by using hollow fangs.A crab spider's bite isn't dangerous to humans because the venom is not potent enough and most crab spiders are not big enough to break the skin with their fangs.The giant crab spider is large enough to puncture the skin, and the bite from the larger crab species is very painful.
Step 12: Crab spiders can be difficult to manage indoors.
Due to the crab spider's preferred habitat, it is very unlikely to find this type of spider inside.You're not too scared if you find one inside.It is recommended that you gently capture the spider by scooting it into a cup, covering it, and releasing it outside.They are not harmful to humans and are a great way to control the population of other insects.Check all flowers and plants for crab spiders before you bring them inside, especially flowers recently cut from a garden.Spiders that wander inside can be captured or relocated.The most likely spot for a crab spider to live is in the potted plants and flowers inside the home.
Step 13: Crab spiders can be found outside.
Crab spiders are harmless to humans, so it's not a good idea to eradicate them from your outdoor area.Try to think of the crab spider as a way to keep your home free of insects.If you want to reduce the number of crab spiders in your outdoor area, you can remove all the plant debris.Keep grassy areas away from your home.Plants that produce pollen should not be planted.Crab spider nest removal can be done with a broom or spray of water.