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Misumena vatia
Crab spider in the Thomisidae family. Females can grow up to 10 mm (excluding legs); males reach 5 mm at most. These spiders may be yellow or white, depending on the flower in which they are hunting. Especially younger females, which may hunt on a variety of flowers such as daisies and sunflowers, may change colour "at will". Older females require large amounts of relatively large prey to produce the best possible clutch of eggs. These spiders change color by secreting a liquid yellow pigment (kynurenine) into the outer cell layer of the body. If the spider dwells longer on a white plant, the yellow pigment is often excreted. The color change from white to yellow takes between 10 and 25 days, the reverse about six days.
Clearing in pine tree forest. Parque Natural de Sierra de Gredos
Camera Model: NIKON D300. Exposure Time: 1/640 sec.; f/13; ISO Speed Rating: 200. Exposure Bias: 0 EV. Focal Length: 90.0 mm. No flash fired
Spotted on Jun 22, 2014
Submitted on Oct 6, 2014
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