by Amber Gideon , Senior Park Naturalist
Have you ever seen a spider wave ? Or did one show you its best impression of an elephant ? Then maybe you just haven ’ t looked in the right places . One of Indiana ’ s silliest spinners is also one of our smallest friends . Let ’ s look a little closer at the jumping spider .
Indiana has at least four distinct species of jumping spider as residents . The most common is the bold jumping spider ( Phidippus audax ). Bold jumping spiders are commonly black , with white , yellow , or orange spots on their abdomens . They are a tiny spider measuring ¾ of an inch long at adulthood . And , unlike other arachnid species , you can tell the difference between a male and a female just by looking at their jaw parts , or chelicerae . Female jumping spiders will have fuzzy jaws , where bold jumping spider males tend to have bright , emerald , green jaws .
Jumping spiders are experienced hunters that eat a wide variety of different bugs . Most common are fruit flies , other spiders , crickets , and several species of worm that negatively impact crops . Many farmers see these spiders as welcome guests . In captivity , they eat mealworms and crickets . These little friends have very acute vision and can see a full 360 degrees around their body due to the placement of their eyes . When they find a bug to eat , they very carefully hunt it down . First it stalks its prey , slowly approaching until it is within jumping distance . Once close enough , it crouches and releases a silk dragline that will tether the spider if it falls or misses its target . Next , it pounces with its legs raised and grabs its prey !
These little friends are arboreal and live in tall grasses or shrubs where they can see what is going on around them . Very rarely will they be near the ground . Since they need to get from branch to branch , they have developed a keen ability to jump up to 40 times their body length ! Just like Spider Man jumping from building to building ! You can occasionally find these spiders in your home . They aren ’ t hurting anything though . They are just looking for a tasty bug to eat .
Jumping spiders are quickly becoming a common household pet . With the introduction of cartoon versions like Lucas the Spider , and several content creators with “ spooders ” on social media , it is not surprising to see them becoming popular . It is also thought that regal jumping spiders can form a bond with their owner ; they seem to recognize people , take an interest in changes around their enclosure , and are curious creatures who like to explore . Come out and see our resident jumping spiders , Hagrid ( a bold jumping spider ) and Maxime ( a regal jumping spider ).
Summer 2024 • 21