Flower crab spider (Mecaphesa asperata)
The flower crab spider is a spider in the family Thomisidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 609 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 36 states, most of all Virginia (68), Massachusetts (59) and Texas (43). Its observation records peak in September.
Mecaphesa asperata, the northern crab spider, is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae, found in North and Central America, and the Caribbean. It is a species of the 'flower spiders', so-called because they generally hunt in similarly coloured flowers for visitors such as bees and flies, and is a much smaller nearctic relative of the better-known Goldenrod Spider (Misumena vatia). Mecaphesa asperata was formerly in the genus Misumenops under the name Misumenops asperatus.
From Wikipedia: Mecaphesa asperata, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the flower crab spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the flower 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 flower crab spider?
Records are spread over 36 states; the top three, Virginia, Massachusetts and Texas, hold 28% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | 68 | 0.6% | 40th of 176 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 59 | 1.3% | 21st of 189 |
| 3 | Texas | 43 | 0.1% | 108th of 386 |
| 4 | Ohio | 41 | 0.6% | 42nd of 332 |
| 5 | Michigan | 36 | 1.5% | 20th of 122 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 36 | 0.5% | 37th of 164 |
| 7 | New York | 33 | 0.5% | 41st of 149 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 28 | 0.5% | 39th of 149 |
| 9 | Illinois | 25 | 0.1% | 106th of 243 |
| 10 | New Jersey | 23 | 1.0% | 27th of 127 |
| 11 | Minnesota | 21 | 0.7% | 29th of 145 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 20 | 0.6% | 41st of 149 |
| 13 | Maryland | 18 | 0.3% | 69th of 153 |
| 14 | Indiana | 17 | 0.4% | 51st of 133 |
| 15 | Connecticut | 14 | 1.4% | 18th of 86 |
| 16 | Kentucky | 13 | 0.7% | 39th of 103 |
| 17 | Florida | 12 | 0.1% | 129th of 237 |
| 18 | Missouri | 10 | 0.4% | 49th of 117 |
| 19 | Nebraska | 10 | 0.8% | 28th of 71 |
| 20 | Tennessee | 8 | 0.2% | 71st of 138 |
| 21 | Georgia | 7 | 0.1% | 107th of 186 |
| 22 | Mississippi | 7 | 0.5% | 40th of 117 |
| 23 | North Carolina | 6 | 0.1% | 112th of 184 |
| 24 | Kansas | 5 | 0.3% | 55th of 94 |
| 25 | Vermont | 5 | 0.3% | 37th of 74 |
| 26 | Alabama | 3 | 0.1% | 101st of 143 |
| 27 | Arkansas | 3 | 0.2% | 82nd of 114 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | 3 | 0.2% | 53rd of 72 |
| 29 | Colorado | 2 | 0.0% | 117th of 378 |
| 30 | Delaware | 2 | 0.1% | 66th of 71 |
| 31 | Iowa | 1 | 0.1% | 50th of 57 |
| 32 | West Virginia | 1 | 0.1% | 57th of 90 |
| 33 | Maine | 0 | — | — |
| 34 | New Mexico | 0 | — | — |
| 35 | North Dakota | 0 | — | — |
| 36 | Rhode Island | 0 | — | — |
When is the flower crab spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the flower crab spider run mostly April through October, peaking in September with 34% 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 March (Texas) and latest in July (Massachusetts). The most common peak month is September, shared by Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | May through October | September | 67 |
| Massachusetts | July through October | September | 55 |
| Ohio | April through October | September | 41 |
| Michigan | April through October | September | 36 |
| Texas | March through November | October | 36 |
| Pennsylvania | April through October | September | 33 |
| New York | April through September | September | 31 |
Where the flower crab spider is recorded in each state
Virginia
Virginia holds 68 licensed records, the 40th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly May through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Loudoun County and Craig County. Next come Fairfax City County (4) and Highland County (4).
Massachusetts
Massachusetts holds 59 licensed records, the joint 21st most recorded of 189 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Massachusetts run mostly July through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Barnstable County, Worcester County and Middlesex County. Next come Norfolk County (5) and Dukes County (5).
Texas
Texas holds 43 licensed records, the joint 108th most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly March through November, peaking in October; most licensed records come from Travis County, Bastrop County and Galveston County. Next come Tarrant County (3) and Denton County (3).
Ohio
Ohio holds 41 licensed records, the 42nd most recorded of 332 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly April through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Hamilton County, Franklin County and Summit County. Next come Portage County (4) and Cuyahoga County (3).
Michigan
Michigan holds 36 licensed records, the 20th most recorded of 122 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Michigan run mostly April through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Ingham County, Charlevoix County and Washtenaw County. Next come Oakland County (3) and Berrien County (2).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 36 licensed records, the joint 37th most recorded of 164 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Pennsylvania run mostly April through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Allegheny County, Somerset County and Centre County. Next come Armstrong County (3) and Westmoreland County (3).
New York
New York holds 33 licensed records, the 41st most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New York run mostly April through September, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Westchester County, Tompkins County and Rockland County. Next come Suffolk County (3) and Wayne County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 32 | 5.3% |
| 2 | Barnstable County | Massachusetts | 22 | 3.6% |
| 3 | Ingham County | Michigan | 11 | 1.8% |
| 4 | Worcester County | Massachusetts | 10 | 1.6% |
| 5 | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | 10 | 1.6% |
| 6 | Westchester County | New York | 10 | 1.6% |
| 7 | Allegheny County | Pennsylvania | 10 | 1.6% |
| 8 | Travis County | Texas | 9 | 1.5% |
| 9 | Hamilton County | Ohio | 8 | 1.3% |
| 10 | Tompkins County | New York | 7 | 1.1% |
| 11 | Bastrop County | Texas | 6 | 1.0% |
| 12 | Galveston County | Texas | 6 | 1.0% |
| 13 | Norfolk County | Massachusetts | 5 | 0.8% |
| 14 | Dukes County | Massachusetts | 5 | 0.8% |
| 15 | Charlevoix County | Michigan | 5 | 0.8% |
How recent are the flower crab spider records?
Most of what is known about the flower crab spider is recent: 79% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2022 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1927; the busiest year was 2024, with 88 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 11 | 1.8% |
| 1930s | 3 | 0.5% |
| 1940s | 2 | 0.3% |
| 1960s | 3 | 0.5% |
| 1970s | 12 | 1.9% |
| 1980s | 14 | 2.2% |
| 1990s | 13 | 2.1% |
| 2000s | 11 | 1.8% |
| 2010s | 105 | 16.8% |
| 2020s | 450 | 72.1% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 95 counties where the flower crab spider is most recorded, 57 are also top counties for both the bold jumper and the nursery web spider; no other spider shares more. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Bold jumper | 57 |
| Nursery web spider | 57 |
| Bronze jumper | 52 |
| Dark fishing spider | 51 |
| Flea jumping spider | 50 |
| Parson spider | 50 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 49 |
| Orchard orbweaver | 47 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other species of the genus Mecaphesa with profiles here: Celer crab spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.