American green crab spider (Misumessus oblongus)
The American green crab spider is a spider in the family Thomisidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 1,168 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 35 states, most of all Virginia (195), Maryland (104) and Georgia (100). Its observation records peak in July.
Misumessus oblongus, also known as the American green crab spider, is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
From Wikipedia: Misumessus oblongus, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the American green crab spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the American green crab spider (family Thomisidae) has venom for its prey, but it is not a widow or recluse, the two U.S. groups whose bites need medical attention.
Which states have the American green crab spider?
Records are spread over 35 states; the top three, Virginia, Maryland and Georgia, hold 34% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | 195 | 1.7% | 14th of 176 |
| 2 | Maryland | 104 | 1.8% | 12th of 153 |
| 3 | Georgia | 100 | 1.5% | 17th of 186 |
| 4 | North Carolina | 99 | 1.2% | 21st of 184 |
| 5 | Ohio | 99 | 1.4% | 17th of 332 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 84 | 1.1% | 17th of 164 |
| 7 | New York | 71 | 1.1% | 24th of 149 |
| 8 | Illinois | 51 | 0.3% | 55th of 243 |
| 9 | Alabama | 42 | 1.2% | 17th of 143 |
| 10 | Indiana | 37 | 0.8% | 23rd of 133 |
| 11 | Tennessee | 35 | 0.9% | 27th of 138 |
| 12 | New Jersey | 29 | 1.3% | 21st of 127 |
| 13 | Delaware | 25 | 1.2% | 21st of 71 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | 25 | 0.5% | 41st of 189 |
| 15 | Texas | 18 | 0.1% | 160th of 386 |
| 16 | Missouri | 15 | 0.6% | 32nd of 117 |
| 17 | Kentucky | 14 | 0.8% | 37th of 103 |
| 18 | Connecticut | 13 | 1.3% | 21st of 86 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | 11 | 0.8% | 31st of 72 |
| 20 | South Carolina | 10 | 0.4% | 50th of 121 |
| 21 | Arkansas | 9 | 0.6% | 46th of 114 |
| 22 | Michigan | 9 | 0.4% | 44th of 122 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | 8 | 0.2% | 87th of 149 |
| 24 | West Virginia | 8 | 1.1% | 22nd of 90 |
| 25 | Louisiana | 7 | 0.2% | 73rd of 107 |
| 26 | Maine | 6 | 0.6% | 33rd of 297 |
| 27 | Mississippi | 6 | 0.4% | 44th of 117 |
| 28 | Vermont | 6 | 0.4% | 36th of 74 |
| 29 | Florida | 5 | 0.0% | 187th of 237 |
| 30 | Iowa | 5 | 0.7% | 22nd of 57 |
| 31 | Nebraska | 5 | 0.4% | 47th of 71 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | 5 | 0.2% | 102nd of 149 |
| 33 | Kansas | 4 | 0.2% | 59th of 94 |
| 34 | Minnesota | 3 | 0.1% | 102nd of 145 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | 0 | — | — |
When is the American green crab spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the American green crab spider run mostly May through September, peaking in July with 29% of them. Almost none are from December to February.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in April (Alabama and Indiana) and latest in June (Maryland, Pennsylvania and Tennessee). The most common peak month is June, shared by Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio and Tennessee.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | May through September | August | 195 |
| Maryland | June through September | June | 104 |
| Georgia | May through September | May | 100 |
| North Carolina | May through September | August | 99 |
| Ohio | May through August | June | 98 |
| Pennsylvania | June through September | July | 83 |
| New York | May through August | July | 70 |
| Alabama | April through September | May | 42 |
| Illinois | May through August | June | 36 |
| Tennessee | June through September | June | 35 |
| Indiana | April through August | June | 34 |
Where the American green crab spider is recorded in each state
Virginia
Virginia holds 195 licensed records, the joint 14th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly May through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Arlington County and Loudoun County. Next come Fairfax City County (8) and Highland County (5).
Maryland
Maryland holds 104 licensed records, the 12th most recorded of 153 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run mostly June through September, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Montgomery County, Frederick County and Baltimore County. Next come Prince George's County (11) and Carroll County (9).
Georgia
Georgia holds 100 licensed records, the 17th most recorded of 186 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Georgia run mostly May through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Cobb County, DeKalb County and Bartow County. Next come Clarke County (10) and Gwinnett County (10).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 99 licensed records, the joint 21st most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly May through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Orange County, Wake County and Mecklenburg County. Next come Durham County (9) and Cumberland County (5).
Ohio
Ohio holds 99 licensed records, the 17th most recorded of 332 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly May through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Franklin County, Hamilton County and Montgomery County. Next come Butler County (5) and Erie County (4).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 84 licensed records, the 17th most recorded of 164 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Pennsylvania run mostly June through September, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Bucks County, Allegheny County and Montgomery County. Next come Philadelphia County (7) and Berks County (6).
New York
New York holds 71 licensed records, the 24th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New York run mostly May through August, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Tompkins County, Rockland County and Suffolk County. Next come Richmond County (5) and Westchester County (5).
Illinois
Illinois holds 51 licensed records, the joint 55th most recorded of 243 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Illinois run mostly May through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Champaign County, McLean County and Cook County. Next come Jo Daviess County (5) and Coles County (2).
Alabama
Alabama holds 42 licensed records, the joint 17th most recorded of 143 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Alabama run mostly April through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Blount County, Pickens County and Jefferson County. Next come Tuscaloosa County (4) and DeKalb County (3).
Indiana
Indiana holds 37 licensed records, the 23rd most recorded of 133 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Indiana run mostly April through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Lake County, Marion County and Allen County. Next come Tippecanoe County (3) and Huntington County (2).
Tennessee
Tennessee holds 35 licensed records, the 27th most recorded of 138 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly June through September, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Knox County, Williamson County and Davidson County. Next come Robertson County (3) and Blount County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 90 | 7.7% |
| 2 | Orange County | North Carolina | 35 | 3.0% |
| 3 | Arlington County | Virginia | 29 | 2.5% |
| 4 | Montgomery County | Maryland | 26 | 2.2% |
| 5 | Franklin County | Ohio | 20 | 1.7% |
| 6 | Loudoun County | Virginia | 20 | 1.7% |
| 7 | Cobb County | Georgia | 19 | 1.6% |
| 8 | DeKalb County | Georgia | 16 | 1.4% |
| 9 | Frederick County | Maryland | 14 | 1.2% |
| 10 | Bucks County | Pennsylvania | 13 | 1.1% |
| 11 | Bartow County | Georgia | 12 | 1.0% |
| 12 | Baltimore County | Maryland | 12 | 1.0% |
| 13 | Wake County | North Carolina | 12 | 1.0% |
| 14 | Prince George's County | Maryland | 11 | 0.9% |
| 15 | Allegheny County | Pennsylvania | 11 | 0.9% |
How recent are the American green crab spider records?
Most of what is known about the American green crab spider is recent: 93% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2023 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1911; the busiest year was 2025, with 257 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1920s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1930s | 4 | 0.3% |
| 1940s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1960s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1970s | 2 | 0.2% |
| 1980s | 9 | 0.7% |
| 1990s | 6 | 0.5% |
| 2000s | 12 | 1.0% |
| 2010s | 141 | 11.3% |
| 2020s | 1,068 | 85.7% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 156 counties where the American green crab spider is most recorded, 102 are also top counties for both the familiar jumping spider and the orchard orbweaver; no other spider shares more. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Familiar jumping spider | 102 |
| Orchard orbweaver | 102 |
| Nursery web spider | 99 |
| Spined micrathena | 98 |
| Spotted orbweaver | 97 |
| Paraphidippus aurantius | 93 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 91 |
| Bold jumper | 86 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Thomisidae with profiles here: Goldenrod crab spider, Whitebanded crab spider, Flower crab spider, Black-banded crab spider, Celer crab spider and Tan crab spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.