Arizona species
Crab spiders in Arizona fields and gardens
Family Thomisidae (Mecaphesa celer and relatives)
Small ambush hunters of flowers and fields. Arizona research calls them beneficial predators of crop pests.
Low
Source: Farm Progress: Untangling the web about spiders in Arizona fields
How to identify
- Front legs held out to the sides like a crab.
- Walks sideways like a crab.
- Hides in flowers and foliage to ambush prey.
- Does not spin a web to catch food.
- Size
- Small. Field crab spiders such as Mecaphesa celer are tiny compared with house and garden spiders.
- Habitat
- Flowers, foliage, field crops, plant litter and debris.
- Where in Arizona
- Farm Progress reports that Arizona field studies found the crab spider Misumenops celer (now usually called Mecaphesa celer) common in Arizona cotton fields, where it helps control whiteflies, lygus, fleahoppers and caterpillars.
Look-alikes
Prevention
- Seal gaps around doors, windows and utility lines.
- Repair screens and add door sweeps.
- Reduce clutter near walls and in garages.
- Cut down on the insects spiders feed on, including near outdoor lights.
Crab spiders are beneficial and rarely come indoors. Call Hydra if you can't tell what spider you're seeing or spiders keep showing up inside.
When to call Hydra
Call or text us, we answer both. Or send us your details and we'll come back with a free custom quote.
Frequently asked questions
Are crab spiders dangerous?
No. They are small ambush hunters that Arizona field research describes as beneficial predators of crop pests.
Is a crab spider the same as a giant crab spider?
No. Field crab spiders belong to the family Thomisidae. The large giant crab spider, also called a huntsman, is Olios giganteus in a different family.