Thanatus formicinus
or
"Crab on a Stick"
I was driving along a dirt road on Antelope Island looking for spiders and insects in the bushes when I decided
I might try looking out into the brush a little further because at this time of year it is easy to spot spiders who
are high in the grasses trying to snag insects from the air - because insects are getting a little more scarce.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing when I spotted this one about 30 seconds later. It looked like a spider on a
cross from a distance and I had to go see what it was. This is what I found. Weird! Judging from the dark brown
"stab" mark or "heart" mark on the abdomen that is outlined in a lighter color, I have decided this must be a
Thanatus formicinus running crab spider. © Carol Davis, 10-10-2010
I took this photo with a flash, hence the color difference. As soon as I started shooting, the wind whipped
up which made it very difficult to photograph. The stick and spider are much smaller than they appear in
your side mirror! I didn't dare hold on to the flimsy stick to steady it for fear it would bend so I just took a
few shots until some looked in focus. It's quite obvious this spider is going "look, Ma, no hands" so I think it
had secured itself with webbing enabling it to nab its prey with all of its legs. Just a guess. What a fun little
guy to find! And, just so you know, he was alive and ticking. © Carol Davis, 10-10-2010
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