![]() There is really no reason to have such a fear for these spiders. ![]() I have had some comments on social media where people have told me that now they know these spiders are around, they will never pick a wild flower again. Identification These crab spiders are a part of a large family that has as many as 3000 different kinds. These are one of the most successful ambush hunters that I know, often taking two or three prey items in a single day. You can find these spiders in Wyoming and throughout most of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The deadly ground crab spider, Xysticus funestus, is a member of the crab spider family Thomisidae. ©WanderingMogwai / Creative Commons License. Their venom works almost instantly to paralyse and kill their pray. The deadly ground crab spider is not as deadly as it sounds. But don’t let this appearance fool you – they are actually waiting for a bee or fly to visit the flower, when their arms close shut like a bear trap and they sink their fangs into their unsuspecting prey. They are most commonly found sitting in the centre of a flower where they will often have their forearms stretched open wide, as if they are waiting for a big hug. For some reason they cannot camouflage in red or blue. Their favourite colours are white, yellow and pink. However this colour change is not instant, it can take them around eight hours to change colour to suit their new host flower. While not nearly as venomous as black widows, their bites may cause moderate epidermal damage and flu-like symptoms. The interesting thing about these spiders is that they are able to change their colour to suit their host flower. The hobo, or funnel-web spider is a common one found in houses of the Pacific Northwest region. They are relatively small, usually not growing any larger than a 20 cent coin.
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