1916 Pomona Journal of Entomology and Zoology ,}' ol.JlII ,N 0.3, September 



Crab-Spiders of the Claremont-Laguna 



Region 



MARGARET L. MOLES 



In the Claremont region, spiders belonging to the family Thom- 

 isidae are very abundant. Though great in numbers only five genera 

 of the family have been found. During the months of May and 

 June they frequent the poppies and feed upon the small Hymenop- 

 tera and Diptera, which come to the flowers. A great many were 

 found in the flowers with dead bees, showing that the spiders 

 grabbed at the large prey resulting in the death of both. They 

 are very wary, the instant a shadow falls on the poppy plant they 

 run to the under side of the flower and drop to the ground. The 

 coloring of the spiders is so protective that when they are down 

 among the stamens of the flowers it is hard to distinguish them 

 unless closely observed. The species that were found to frequent the 

 poppies were Misiimoia aJcatoria, Misumcnops asperatus and 

 Xysticus calif orniciis. The wild flowers which have the colors blue, 

 red or la^'ender were never found to be inhabited by any members of 

 this family, but nearly all the wild flowers of a yellowish hue had 

 from one to two thomisids in them. A great many young were 

 found during the months of May, June and July. 



Xysticus californicus, Philodromiis pcrnix and Xysticus gulosus 

 were found under the bark of tree, Xysticus californicus being found 

 in the tall grass, under the bark of the eucalyptus trees and in pop- 

 pies. Philodromus pernix and Xysticus ghisosis were found under 

 eucalyptus bark, oak bark and sycamore. 



Misumcna alcaloria was found on tar weed, poppies, in a dried-up 

 yellow rose and in a pink rose. The one found in the drie-up yellow 

 rose (Plate I) was remarkable in its protective coloring, looking 

 exactly like a dried yellow rose petal in the dark brown stamens. 

 Two variations in coloring were found in Misumcna alcatoria. 

 One which was found in the green grass had a brownish green body 

 and lacked any dark spots on the abdomen, the other was a yellow 

 color with only one dark brown spot on the abdomen, the head and 



