In the UK we have quite a few of the 62 European Thomisidae spiders and they all frequently get labelled under the common name of 'Crab Spider'. The Thomisidae are further split into sub-families but there's a lot of conjecture over whether they should ever have been split in the first place. This little fella is Misumena vatia, the commonest and most noticeable of the bunch and the only Misumena in Northern Europe. Always worth checking flower heads at this time of the year as they are frequently found sitting in ambush, waiting for an insect to walk close enough to grab with their specially adapted forelegs.
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| Misumena vatia: R. Harris |
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| Misumena vatia: R. Harris |
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| Misumena vatia: R. Harris |
Here are a few other spiders from the garden over the last few days:
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| Araneus quadratus, male: R. Harris |
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| Enoplognatha ovata: R. Harris |
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| Pholcus phalangioides: R. Harris |
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