Arachnid
Xysticus gulosus
Xysticus gulosusAlso known as Ground Crab Spider
Ground crab spiders lurk cryptically among tree bark, leaf litter, and low vegetation, matching their mottled brown bodies to decaying forest debris across North America. Rather than weaving capture webs, they rely on patience and powerful, laterally projecting front legs to seize passing insects several times their own size. During courtship in late summer, males anchor females loosely with silk strands before mating, after which females guard flat, disc-shaped egg sacs hidden under bark or stones.
ArachnidAmbush PredatorCamouflaged
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyFlies, Leafhoppers, Small bees
Predators
- Spider wasps
- Insectivorous birds
- Jumping spiders
ThreatsPesticide application, intensive lawn manicuring, and broadleaf forest fragmentation
HabitatsDeciduous forests, woodland edges, leaf litter, grasslands, and suburban gardens
Life span1–2 years
Classification
- FamilyThomisidae
- SpeciesXysticus gulosus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance; bites to humans are extremely rare and medically harmless.
Responsible observation
- Searching Substrate: Gently inspect tree bark crevices and sift loose top layers of leaf litter in early autumn.
- Macro Photography: Approach slowly without casting sudden shadows, as these spiders freeze motionless when alarmed.
Predator (c) dhasdf, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Tone Killick, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tone Killick · cc-by
Same Family (c) Wolfgang Jauch, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Wolfgang Jauch · cc-by
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