The crab spider is easy to identify. It’s named for its round and wide crab-like body and extra-long front legs held outward like pincers on a crab. It’s also able to scramble sideways, another crabby feature.

Mount Diablo is home to the Goldenrod and the White-banded Crab Spiders that are very similar in appearance, habitat, and behavior. The female of both species can change color from white (base color) to yellow and vice versa, a unique ability in the world of spiders. This is a slow process that takes days. It helps her hide from prey and predators such as birds, lizards, ants, wasps and other spiders.

Also called a flower spider, it does not need a web to catch prey. Instead, this tiny predator (the female almost half an inch wide) hides on a fresh bloom and uses all eight spider-eyes to scan for the next meal. Her long, strong front legs strike at any pollen or nectar-seeking insect unlucky enough to land within reach!

The female spider does not stray from her preferred flower while the hunting is good, bees being a favorite high-protein meal. In contrast, the much smaller male wanders about in search of a mate with less time to spend catching insects. Fortunately, he’s not a strict carnivore and when necessary, will sip sugar-rich nectar for nourishment.

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