# Running Crab Spiders (*Philodromidae*)

Running crab spiders are quick little creatures that can run sideways and forward! They are often found in gardens and on plants, where they hunt for their food.

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 5
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![Running Crab Spiders](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Philodromus_praelustris.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Bruce Marlin, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Philodromus_praelustris.jpg)

## Appearance

The Running Crab Spiders has a flattened body and long, strong front legs, giving them a crab-like look. They are often brown, grey, or green with intricate patterns, allowing them to blend perfectly with bark, leaves, or flowers.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Arachnida
- **Order:** Araneae
- **Family:** Philodromidae

## Interesting facts

- Female Running Crab Spiders fiercely guard their silk-wrapped egg sacs until the babies hatch!
- Some tiny species can 'balloon' by releasing silk into the wind to travel far away!
- Their flattened bodies help them squeeze into super tight spots, perfect for hiding!
- Unlike many spiders, they use their silk only for safety lines and to wrap their eggs!

## Special abilities

- **Lightning Lunge:** Running Crab Spiders can sprint incredibly fast to ambush unsuspecting prey, thanks to their powerful leg muscles.
- **Stealth Camouflage:** Running Crab Spiders has intricate body patterns that perfectly mimic bark or leaves, helping them disappear from view.
- **Lateral Scuttle:** Running Crab Spiders can run sideways and even backward with impressive speed, just like a crab, to dodge or pursue.

## Measurements & details

- **Size:** 3-10 mm
- **Lifespan:** 365-730 days
- **Leg Count:** 8

## Diet & Feeding

Nimble hunters, they feast on various small insects they ambush or chase down.

- **Primary Foods:** Flies, Aphids, Caterpillars, Beetles, Moths
- **Foraging Method:** Ambush

## Ecological connections

- **Hunts:** House Fly (*Musca domestica*) — Main prey item
- **Hunts:** Cotton Aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — Feeds on small soft-bodied insects
- **Hunts:** Blue Bottle Fly (*Calliphora vicina*) — Ambush prey
- **Eaten by:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — Birds prey on spiders
- **Eaten by:** Green Anole (*Anolis carolinensis*) — Lizards eat spiders

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

If you see a spider, it's best to leave it alone and watch from a distance.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Running Crab Spiders?

Compare body proportions, leg shape, abdomen markings and the web, if there is one. Eye arrangement can be decisive but rarely shows up in a casual phone photo. A web is a supporting clue, not proof of who built it. Spider Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How big is Running Crab Spiders?

3-10 mm

### How long does Running Crab Spiders live?

365-730 days

### What does Running Crab Spiders eat?

Nimble hunters, they feast on various small insects they ambush or chase down.

### Where is Running Crab Spiders usually found?

Urban areas

### How does Running Crab Spiders hunt?

Ambush

### How many legs does Running Crab Spiders have?

8

## Where to spot

- [Downtown Quincy Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-quincy-historic-district) — Illinois, US · Historic District
- [Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dubuque-arboretum-and-botanical-gardens) — Iowa, US · Botanical Garden
- [Falls Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/falls-park) — South Dakota, US · Park
- [Lock and Dam No. 21](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lock-and-dam-no-21) — Illinois, US · Historic Site
- [Wildwood Preserve Metropark](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wildwood-preserve-metropark) — Ohio, US · Nature Reserve
- [Valhalla Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/valhalla-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park

[View all places to see Running Crab Spiders](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/running-crab-spiders)

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

---

Source: [Running Crab Spiders: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/running-crab-spiders)