Napoleon Spider

The adult males reach 2–4 mm (0.08–0.16 in) in length, while females are 7–8 millimetres (0.28–0.31 in) long. They can mostly be encountered from May through August on flowering plants (especially yellow or red Apiaceae species), waiting for their prey. The two pairs of the front legs, used for hunting the flower-feeding insects, are more developed than the rear ones, which have a predominant motor function. A striking feature of this species is the variation in colour among females. Mature males have a black abdomen with two white marks. In mature females, the background colour of the abdomen can be red, yellow or white, with a black pattern which has been noted for a certain resemblance to the silhouette of Napoleon. Prosoma and legs are black or dark brown. Like other species of the family Thomisidae, these spiders do not make a web, but actively hunt their prey.

This species is present in most countries of Europe and in the eastern Palearctic realm, although absent from Scandinavia and the British Isles. It is especially common throughout the Mediterranean region.