Jumping spiders, belonging to the family Salticidae, are a diverse group making up about 13% of all spider species. With around 4,000 species worldwide and about 300 in North America alone, these arachnids exhibit a wide range of sizes and color patterns.
One of the most common and conspicuous species is Phidippus audax, known as the bold jumper or daring jumping spider. These spiders are not considered dangerous to humans and are unlikely to bite unless cornered or handled.
Appearance and Identification
Phidippus audax is typically black with an ovoid abdomen and round cephalothorax. The adult female bold jumper ranges from 8-15 mm in body length, while the males are smaller, ranging from 6-13 mm. A large, typically triangular, white spot in the center of the abdomen with two smaller spots below it often distinguishes this species.
Phidippus regius has a similar abdominal pattern and overlaps with P. audax in the southeastern United States. However, the lower spots are usually more linear in P. audax and more oval in P. regius. Also, P. audax has pairs of matte black patches on the abdomen, while P.
Many species of jumping spiders have black bodies, but some are brown, tan, or gray in color. They usually also have pale or colorful markings, which may be white, gray, yellow, red, blue, or green. Phidippus audax has brightly colored metallic or iridescent mouthparts called chelicerae.
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Females tend to be a bit bigger than males, but males tend to be more brightly colored than females. Males also have special modifications on their front legs that they use in a species-specific mating dance to attract females.
Habitat and Behavior
Bold jumpers are solitary carnivores and commonly prey on live quarry, although scavenging has been reported in this species. They prefer to be outside but may enter your home while hunting for food. Once inside, they may hide under your furniture, in the folds of your drapes, in the cracks of your wood flooring, or around your door and window molding.
Bold jumpers will quickly flee from animals that are too large to eat, jumping down and away or hiding in small crevices. At night they hide in a crevice or small cavity and make a silk retreat to avoid predators that hunt by touch. Bold jumpers are shy spiders that retreat from humans when approached.
Unlike most spiders, jumping spiders are active during the day and they prefer to be out in the sun. They don't build webs to catch their prey but instead use their webbing to anchor themselves when they climb down a vertical surface or pounce to catch their prey. They also build web retreats, which are loose web sacs where they rest at night, lay eggs, shed their skin as they grow, and hibernate during the colder months.
Jumping spider retreats may be built under furniture, in drapery folds, between books on bookshelves, in cracks found in wood floors, around door and window molding, etc. Outside retreats may be found under loose bark, between leaves, etc. Indoors, spiders will usually be found hunting around windows and doors because more insects are attracted to these areas and their vision is best in sunlit areas.
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Jumping spiders are unlikely to infest a home, as they prefer outdoor environments with plentiful vegetation and sunlight, such as grassland and prairies. In these locations, they feast on bollworms, cotton leaf worms, webworms, cotton flea hoppers, stinkbugs, leafhoppers and mosquitoes.
They are excellent hunters, due to their jumping ability and swift reflexes. Jumping spiders can rapidly move both sideways and backwards for short distances, and pounce on passing prey. When threatened, jumping spiders may jump 20 times their body length. In general, jumping spiders have the best vision of any spider species, being able to detect and react to movement up to 18" (45 cm) in distance.
These spiders overwinter as nearly mature, or penultimate, individuals. They mature into adults in April and May, mate, and deposit eggs in June and July. The P. audax female suspends her eggs in a silken sheet within her retreat.
In the New England States, zebra, black and other colored jumping spiders mate in May, and eggs are laid in June and July. Each egg sac contains 15-25 white eggs. It’s thought that the older spiderlings overwinter in a retreat and become adults in spring. Adult male jumping spiders are found in April through July, and females are spotted from mid-May to late October, usually around windows and doors because there are more insects attracted to these areas.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Size | Adult females: 8-15 mm; Adult males: 6-13 mm |
| Color | Typically black with white, yellow, or orange spots |
| Habitat | Outdoors in sunny areas, may enter homes |
| Diet | Carnivorous, preys on insects and other spiders |
| Behavior | Active during the day, excellent hunters, can jump long distances |
Vision and Intelligence
Jumping spiders have eight eyes - four in two rows, but you may only be able to see the bottom row that has bigger eyes. This row has two bigger eyes in the center of their head and two smaller eyes toward the sides of their head. They have very good eyesight that they use to stalk their prey.
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They have camera-like eyes with a total of eight eyes arranged in pairs. They have two large forward-facing eyes that can see in high resolution and color. The spider has another pair of lower-resolution eyes on each side of its head. These allow the spider to see behind it. The arrangement of eyes means the spider has virtually no blind spots in its nearly 360-degree vision. The system allows them to gauge depth and distance to navigate and hunt.
Like all jumping spiders, the Sylvana jumping spider is considered to be surprisingly intelligent. Though their brains are tiny, scientists have proven that jumping spiders are especially smart with the ability to learn. Jumping spiders communicate with each other using visual signals, pheromones, and vibrations.
Some jumping spider species plan specialized routes, including detours, to reach their prey. They can even visualize where prey might be hiding so they can sneak up on it. Scientists in New Zealand developed an obstacle course of towers, platforms, moats (jumping spiders don’t like to get wet), and containers of food for motivation. The spiders’ ability to create a working plan to reach the food, and adapt when the plan didn’t go as expected, is believed to be “genuine cognition.” Jumping spiders are also thought to have good memories.
Are Jumping Spiders Dangerous?
Jumping spiders don’t usually bite unless they are cornered, grabbed, or pressed against. They are more likely to run or try to jump away if they encounter an animal bigger than they would be able to eat. If they feel threatened, they will often raise their two front legs in a defensive posture.
If you happen to be bitten by a jumping spider, the bite is usually asymptomatic, which means you won't feel anything, or you may have a mild reaction to the venom. If you do have symptoms from the bite, it may look and itch a bit like a mosquito bite. They generally hurt less than a bee sting.
Jumping spiders do make venom, which they use to kill their prey. An adult's fangs are strong enough to pierce human skin, but the venom generally isn't strong enough to make most people sick.
Jumping spider bites are uncommon, though it can occur. While jumping spiders are not venomous, their bites may cause redness, itching, stinging and swelling. If you suspect a jumping spider has bitten you, clean the site with soap and water. Then, apply a cold compress over the spider bite location. If symptoms continue to worsen for more than 24 hours, it’s crucial to seek medical attention. If possible, bring the spider to the doctor for proper identification and treatment.
Jumping Spiders as Pets
Some people keep jumping spiders as pets. Many species have beautiful coloration. They are one of the most intelligent and friendly spiders. They can be fascinating to watch and when handled gently, there's very little risk of being bitten.
The bold or daring jumping spider, Phidippus audax, and the regal jumping spider, Phidippus regius, are the two jumping spider species most commonly kept as pets. These spiders are colorful, especially the females, and they are considered to be relatively easy to care for. Unlike most spiders, bold and regal jumping spiders are known to be curious and engaging when gently handled.
Experts recommend a terrarium that is taller rather than wider. Jumping spiders are arboreal, which means they live in trees. Their enclosure should mimic their natural habitat with plenty of twigs, rocks, and plants to climb on and hide in.
Before adopting a jumping spider pet, know that you will need to keep it in an enclosure that closely matches its natural habitat. Also, you will need to feed it live prey, such as wingless fruit flies, roaches, houseflies, maggots, or crickets.
Some people breed and sell jumping spiders as pets. While you can catch one from the wild, there are downsides to this, such as not knowing your new pet's age or sex. If you catch a pregnant female, you may wind up with hundreds of baby spiders that need to be cared for or released back outside in a responsible way. A quick internet search can guide you to a reputable breeder. Reputable breeders should be able to tell you how old your spider is and what sex it is. And they should have experience shipping spiders in a safe and responsible way.
How to Care for Jumping Spiders!
How to Get Rid of Jumping Spiders
You don't usually need insecticides or pesticides to get rid of them since they rarely infest your house. The simplest way to get rid of them is to capture and release them outside.
Three methods can help you ward off jumping spiders without causing any injury:
- Mason jars: You can capture the jumping spiders by placing a drinking glass or mason jar over them. Then, lift the glass jar slowly and slide in a paper or card underneath the spider. The spider will jump onto the card. Then, take the card outdoors and release them safely. If it’s hard for you to carry spiders outdoors, you can use screw-topped jars. These jars have larger openings that allow you to pick up spiders of all sizes easily.
- Critter-catchers: Another method is to use critter-catchers already available in the market. Make sure to buy a nonlethal one that consists of a soft bristle trap. The trap is attached to the handle that helps you pick up the spider safely, even from distances.
- Vacuum cleaners: Vacuum cleaners can help you remove spiders living in narrow and high corners of your home. Use your vacuum cleaner to pick up the spider and then open the vacuum bag outside to release them.
You can easily prevent free-roaming jumping spiders from coming into your home. Jumping spiders prefer living outside, but they may accidentally enter your home while chasing their prey or by clinging to something you've brought in from outside.
Jumping spiders don’t like dry habitats. You can run a dehumidifier in the areas with suspected leaks and water issues to dry out these areas. This will discourage spiders from entering your home or living in it for long. You can also prevent jumping spiders from entering by:
- Sealing windows and vents
- Using caulks to secure all crevices and cracks
- Screening vents
If nothing works, it’s better to consult a professional pest control service. These companies have access to several chemicals and tools that you can’t find easily on the market.
The most common sign of a jumping spider infestation is seeing the spider itself. If a jumping spider is found indoors, remove it with a vacuum and dispose of the vacuum bag outside. If you suspect an infestation, contact a licensed pest control professional.
When it comes to preventing contact with jumping spiders, it’s important to eliminate the primary ways that these spiders can enter the home. Most often, jumping spiders enter through wall cracks or poorly screened windows and doors. If tackling DIY prevention, make sure to seal wall openings with a silicone-based caulk, and properly screen windows and doors.
Another way that jumping spiders may gain entrance into the home is by accidentally hitchhiking inside boxes, grocery bags or other items that are brought from the outside in. Inspect these items before bringing them into the home to reduce the risk of a jumping spider infestation.
