Whitebanded crab spider (Misumenoides formosipes)
The whitebanded crab spider is a spider in the family Thomisidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 1,429 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 41 states, most of all Virginia (182), North Carolina (113) and Illinois (111). Its observation records peak in September.
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Misumenoides formosipes is a species of crab spiders (Thomisidae), belonging to the genus Misumenoides ("crab" or "flower" spiders). The species' unofficial common name is white banded crab spider, which refers to a white line that runs through the plane of their eyes. This species is a sit-and-wait predator that captures pollinators as they visit the inflorescences on which the spider sits.
From Wikipedia: Misumenoides formosipes, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the whitebanded crab spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the whitebanded 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 whitebanded crab spider?
Records are spread over 41 states; the top three, Virginia, North Carolina and Illinois, hold 28% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | 182 | 1.6% | 16th of 176 |
| 2 | North Carolina | 113 | 1.4% | 17th of 184 |
| 3 | Illinois | 111 | 0.6% | 26th of 243 |
| 4 | Ohio | 93 | 1.3% | 20th of 332 |
| 5 | Texas | 88 | 0.3% | 69th of 386 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 69 | 1.5% | 14th of 189 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 69 | 1.3% | 14th of 149 |
| 8 | California | 63 | 0.1% | 82nd of 309 |
| 9 | Maryland | 55 | 1.0% | 27th of 153 |
| 10 | Florida | 47 | 0.4% | 39th of 237 |
| 11 | Louisiana | 47 | 1.2% | 19th of 107 |
| 12 | Indiana | 40 | 0.9% | 20th of 133 |
| 13 | Missouri | 38 | 1.6% | 13th of 117 |
| 14 | Arizona | 34 | 0.7% | 14th of 162 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 32 | 0.9% | 31st of 138 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 32 | 1.0% | 20th of 149 |
| 17 | Georgia | 31 | 0.5% | 46th of 186 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | 28 | 0.4% | 48th of 164 |
| 19 | Kentucky | 27 | 1.4% | 20th of 103 |
| 20 | Arkansas | 24 | 1.5% | 21st of 114 |
| 21 | Kansas | 23 | 1.4% | 15th of 94 |
| 22 | Nebraska | 20 | 1.6% | 13th of 71 |
| 23 | New Jersey | 20 | 0.9% | 30th of 127 |
| 24 | New York | 20 | 0.3% | 59th of 149 |
| 25 | Alabama | 18 | 0.5% | 53rd of 143 |
| 26 | Michigan | 17 | 0.7% | 31st of 122 |
| 27 | Minnesota | 15 | 0.5% | 44th of 145 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | 14 | 1.0% | 26th of 72 |
| 29 | New Mexico | 9 | 0.4% | 51st of 247 |
| 30 | Connecticut | 8 | 0.8% | 27th of 86 |
| 31 | Iowa | 8 | 1.2% | 15th of 57 |
| 32 | Mississippi | 8 | 0.6% | 35th of 117 |
| 33 | South Carolina | 8 | 0.3% | 56th of 121 |
| 34 | Delaware | 6 | 0.3% | 57th of 71 |
| 35 | West Virginia | 5 | 0.7% | 30th of 90 |
| 36 | Rhode Island | 3 | 1.8% | 15th of 53 |
| 37 | Vermont | 3 | 0.2% | 46th of 74 |
| 38 | Maine | 1 | 0.1% | 61st of 297 |
| 39 | North Dakota | 0 | — | — |
| 40 | Oregon | 0 | — | — |
| 41 | South Dakota | 0 | — | — |
When is the whitebanded crab spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the whitebanded crab spider run mostly June through September, peaking in September with 38% 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 May (Oklahoma) and latest in August (Arizona). The most common peak month is September, shared by California, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and 2 more.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | June through September | September | 182 |
| North Carolina | July through October | September | 111 |
| Ohio | July through September | August | 91 |
| Massachusetts | July through September | August | 69 |
| Texas | June through October | September | 68 |
| Oklahoma | May through September | September | 63 |
| Maryland | June through September | September | 55 |
| California | July through October | September | 48 |
| Florida | June through October | September | 47 |
| Illinois | June through September | August | 41 |
| Missouri | June through September | June | 36 |
| Arizona | August through October | August | 33 |
| Tennessee | June through September | September | 32 |
| Wisconsin | July through September | August | 31 |
| Georgia | July through October | August | 30 |
Where the whitebanded crab spider is recorded in each state
Virginia
Virginia holds 182 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly June through September, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Prince William County, Fairfax County and Chesterfield County. Next come Hanover County (10) and Craig County (9).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 113 licensed records, the joint 17th most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly July through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Orange County, Cumberland County and Buncombe County. Next come Durham County (7) and Brunswick County (4).
Illinois
Illinois holds 111 licensed records, the 26th most recorded of 243 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Illinois run mostly June through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Iroquois County, Champaign County and Cook County. Next come Jo Daviess County (7) and DuPage County (6).
Ohio
Ohio holds 93 licensed records, the 20th most recorded of 332 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly July through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Erie County, Hamilton County and Adams County. Next come Lorain County (6) and Champaign County (5).
Texas
Texas holds 88 licensed records, the 69th most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly June through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Jackson County, Galveston County and Jasper County. Next come Tarrant County (6) and Briscoe County (5).
Massachusetts
Massachusetts holds 69 licensed records, the joint 14th most recorded of 189 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Massachusetts run mostly July through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Middlesex County, Worcester County and Barnstable County. Next come Dukes County (11) and Plymouth County (4).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 69 licensed records, the joint 14th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Oklahoma run mostly May through September, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Mayes County, Tulsa County and Marshall County. Next come Cleveland County (2) and Muskogee County (2).
California
California holds 63 licensed records, the joint 82nd most recorded of 309 spiders listed there. Its observation records in California run mostly July through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from San Diego County, Los Angeles County and Orange County. Next come Santa Barbara County (3) and Kern County (2).
Maryland
Maryland holds 55 licensed records, the 27th most recorded of 153 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run mostly June through September, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County and Frederick County. Next come Howard County (5) and Montgomery County (5).
Florida
Florida holds 47 licensed records, the joint 39th most recorded of 237 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Florida run mostly June through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Alachua County, Hernando County and Santa Rosa County. Next come Franklin County (3) and Leon County (3).
Louisiana
Louisiana holds 47 licensed records, the 19th most recorded of 107 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Louisiana come from Rapides Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish and Saint Tammany Parish. Next come Vernon Parish (5) and Natchitoches Parish (3).
Indiana
Indiana holds 40 licensed records, the 20th most recorded of 133 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Indiana come from Lake County, Porter County and Monroe County. Next come Putnam County (2) and Clark County (1).
Missouri
Missouri holds 38 licensed records, the 13th most recorded of 117 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Missouri run mostly June through September, peaking in June; most licensed records come from DeKalb County, Texas County and Boone County. Next come Carter County (3) and Pulaski County (3).
Arizona
Arizona holds 34 licensed records, the 14th most recorded of 162 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Arizona run mostly August through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Cochise County, Pima County and Santa Cruz County. Next come Gila County (1) and Graham County (1).
Tennessee
Tennessee holds 32 licensed records, the 31st most recorded of 138 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly June through September, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Knox County, Blount County and Hamilton County. Next come Fentress County (2) and Lewis County (2).
Wisconsin
Wisconsin holds 32 licensed records, the 20th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Wisconsin run mostly July through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Dane County, Juneau County and Milwaukee County. Next come Crawford County (2) and Green County (2).
Georgia
Georgia holds 31 licensed records, the joint 46th most recorded of 186 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Georgia run mostly July through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Clarke County, Laurens County and Rockdale County. Next come Wilkinson County (2) and Columbia County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayes County | Oklahoma | 42 | 2.9% |
| 2 | Prince William County | Virginia | 37 | 2.6% |
| 3 | Iroquois County | Illinois | 33 | 2.3% |
| 4 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 31 | 2.2% |
| 5 | San Diego County | California | 25 | 1.7% |
| 6 | Champaign County | Illinois | 24 | 1.7% |
| 7 | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | 23 | 1.6% |
| 8 | Orange County | North Carolina | 22 | 1.5% |
| 9 | Los Angeles County | California | 20 | 1.4% |
| 10 | Cook County | Illinois | 19 | 1.3% |
| 11 | Prince George's County | Maryland | 19 | 1.3% |
| 12 | Cochise County | Arizona | 17 | 1.2% |
| 13 | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | 16 | 1.1% |
| 14 | Lake County | Indiana | 13 | 0.9% |
| 15 | Alachua County | Florida | 12 | 0.8% |
How recent are the whitebanded crab spider records?
Most of what is known about the whitebanded crab spider is recent: 84% 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 2025, with 252 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 2 | 0.1% |
| 1930s | 5 | 0.4% |
| 1950s | 2 | 0.1% |
| 1960s | 5 | 0.4% |
| 1970s | 8 | 0.6% |
| 1980s | 15 | 1.1% |
| 1990s | 66 | 4.7% |
| 2000s | 22 | 1.6% |
| 2010s | 272 | 19.2% |
| 2020s | 1,022 | 72.0% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 227 counties where the whitebanded crab spider is most recorded, 114 are also top counties for the bold jumper, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Bold jumper | 114 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 108 |
| Familiar jumping spider | 105 |
| Spotted orbweaver | 105 |
| Nursery web spider | 97 |
| Rabid wolf spider | 90 |
| Brilliant jumping spider | 86 |
| Dark fishing spider | 84 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Thomisidae with profiles here: Goldenrod crab spider, American green 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.