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Ground Crab Spider

Xysticus cristatus

CommonInsect & Arthropod
Illustration of Ground Crab Spider (Xysticus cristatus)

The Ground Crab Spider is a small, cryptically brown-and-white patterned crab spider found on low vegetation, bark, and leaf litter where its mottled coloration provides excellent camouflage. It ambushes prey without a web by seizing insects that walk within reach. Males perform a peculiar silk-binding courtship where they lightly tie the female before mating.

Habitat
Leaf litter, bark, low vegetation, and ground-level habitats
Diet
Adults: small insects encountered by ambush on the ground and low plants
How common
Common

Best time to see a Ground Crab Spider

The best time to see a Ground Crab Spider is March–May, when about 67% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 239 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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