Taxonomy

Misumena vatia | Damhán Portáin Blátha

Distribution

Status

Conservation status

Not Assessed 

Legal status

Not Protected 

Species Biology

Identification

A crab spider, which can grow up to 10mm in length, with males being much smaller. 

Species can be white, greenish white to yellow in colour, depending on the background colour of the plant it is on. 

It has two green lines on either side of the thorax and can sometimes have red stripes on the abdomen. 

Preferred environment

It can be found in a range of habitats, including grassland and gardens, usually hidden on flowering plants. 

Diet

A wide range of prey, flies (including hoverflies), bees, butterflies and more. 

Ecology

It tends to be found on the flowering head of plants. 

It uses adaptive camouflage to blend in to the particular flower or vegetation that it is waiting on. This camouflage is useful for catching unsuspecting prey visiting or attempting to feed or nectar from those flowers.

Distribution

World distribution(GBIF)

Temporal change

Records submitted to Data Centre in 2024

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