Jumping Spider
The jumping spider is from the family Salticidae, in the order Araneae, and in the class of Arachnida. The name jumping spider? really refers to most any group of hunting spiders that have the ability to jump or leap anywhere from 10 all the way to 40 times their own body length. Depending the specie, the spider will either jump or walk. There are around 4,000 described species for the jumping spider alone making it the largest of all other spider species. More than 300 of those species are found in the United States and about 75 species are found in Europe. 
The jumping spider averages at about 2 cm in length; the female spider is typically larger than the male. The jumping spider is also well known for its appearance and because of it they are easily spotted. Jumping spiders are typically brightly colored, have very outstanding patterns, and are also hairy and sometimes stocky. All together the jumping spider has four pair of eyes, two of which give it extremely sharp vision; so sharp that it actually allows it to see better than almost any animal the same size. All of the jumping spider’s eyes allow it to have a 360-degree eyesight, and on top of that the jumping spider also has the ability to turn its breast around 45 degrees.
Jumping Spiders
The jumping spider is typically found in tropic regions. The tropic regions that they are found in are very different, anywhere from the rain forest to the Himalayas. The jumping spider can be found anywhere in these climates, if its day the spider can be found on the ground, on rocks, in the grass, or on trees. At night or if it is raining, the jumping spider will hide under rocks or a small web.
Because of the jumping spider’s good eyesight, their prey can be noticed anywhere from 30 to 40 cm away. At this point, the jumping spider actually scans their prey; in fact their eyesight is similar to that of a zoom lens on a camera. When the prey is registered as eatable, the jumping spider will move closer. The jumping spider even catches prey much bigger than its own size. The jumping spider does not use webs to catch its prey, but they do attach a line of silk to their prey in case they happen to fall. When the jumping spider is within good distance of their prey they will actually jump or pounce on it.
Jumping Spider Bite
The jumping spider is often mistaken for being dangerous, but in reality they are not. The jumping spider is not poisonous to humans. Like a wolf spider, the jumping spider typically does not attack humans unless they feel threatened or in danger. The only way a jumping spider bite may be hazardous is if the person bitten is allergic to spider venom, and because of that it is extremely important to consult medical attention when bitten by a spider, especially if the spider is unidentified.
Written by Jim on June 15th, 2006 with
11 comments.
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i do not know what kind it is i have a big bite my head hurts,mucles,throught,anbthe finger it bit could any one tell me what it is?
Hello, several years ago, my daughter was bitten on the neck, by a hairy black and white ‘jumping’ spider, who had made its home in a honeysuckle arbor over the enterance to the deck. When daughter attempted to go under the arbor the spider lept out and bit daughter. You could see the punctures, and the bite turned into a welt and was red. No necrosis developed, but she said it hurt and itched.
I found and killed a dime sized black furry spider, with what looks to be white fangs and white rings on it’s legs and a stripe on it’s back. what kind is it? is it a jumping spider? Is it dangerous, i found two in two days. Both in the house.
While it’s hard to guess without seeing a picture, it does sound like a jumping spider because they generally have the most unique markings like you described.
If you have good eyesight you can tell by their eyes though. The jumping spider family is the only one with 4 pairs of eyes, and they surround the upper portion of the head. The front pair is considerably bigger than the pairs on the side and rear.
I’m not a specialist on jumping spiders, but I have had an interest in them for 15 years, and researched as well as handled dozens of species without ever getting bit. But the best way to find out for sure is to do an internet search of “jumping spiders (your region)”.
I hope this helped,
Jacob Wolfe.
THAT SPIDER IS SO KOOL BUT I KNOW THAT IT IS DANGEROUS. MY FRIEND GOT BITTEN BY ONE OF THOSE AND WAS IN THE HOSPITLE 4 A WEEK.
Got bit by a spider i think. Started out as a bump and itched like hell then formed a ring around it after an hour or so and the next day the skin started to peel off. It hurts like hell but there is no swelling. Any idea?
ther is a huge black and white spider outside my window. It is spotted and hairy and about the size of a 50 cent piece
w0w. i didnt kn0w spiders could jump….
im so afraid 0f spiders.
over the years,I,ve handeled hundreds of species of spider,with only
a few bites. trying to cup a red back jump spider in my hands,it tried to squeze between my fingers,and bit next to the web between my fingers. all I felt was a stinging burn,much like a fire ant.
the result was a small red spot,and a mild itch.after 24 hrs.,no more itch. after 3 days all but completely cleared up. the treatment:
washed w/soap,water and applied a topical antibiotic ointment.
conclusion: they are reluctant to bite,unless provoked.
their bite can be a little painful,but harmless
only those that have an alergy to nerotoxic venom should be concerned
my 6 year old daughter constantly plays with these,and has never been
biten.
ooooooo…. I love jumping spiders. They are so intelligent, not to mention they have excellent eye sight. Try it out. The next time you see one of these little guys, move close to it and see what it does. So cool. They aren’t scary guys.
I don’t believe that jumping spiders are very prone to biting people. Most that I have seen aren’t even wouldn’t even have fangs large enough to puncture the skin. These guys are excellent jumpers and have eye sight probably better than we do. Not likely to get themselves put into sticky situations. Although, all spiders ARE poisonous, most lack the fangs and potency to do much damage.
Jumping spiders most of the time are kinda furry, ranging from brownish to black with orange etc somewhere on the body. They also have a pair of large eyes at the top that will check you out immediately if you get too close.
Remember, spiders are crucial to our environment. Be smart, be careful and just don’t touch spiders that aren’t your family pet!
my newest jumping spider that i have is about 1cm long- large for a jumper. when startled, this jumper jumps into the air and FLIPS. i have had several jumpers as pets; and 1 is about to produce her THIRD egg sack, in my possession. WARNING: DO NOT TRY TO HANDLE YOUR MOTHER JUMPER WHEN SHE HAS AN EGG SACK WITH HER!! SHE WILL DISPLAY HER FANGS AT YOU UNTILL YOU REMOVE THE EGG SACK!! i currently have 3 mature jumpers, and 2 unmature jumpers. it is very fun to watch them hunt- watch them hunt when you have the chance.