What Is a Jumping Spider?
It's no wonder jumping spiders are called that; they can jump 10-40 times their body length using their powerful back legs. They belong to a family of spiders called salticidae. This is a large and diverse family of spiders, with about 4,000 species worldwide.
About 300 of those species live in North America. The most common jumping spiders in the U.S. belong to the species Phidippus audax, more commonly known as the bold jumper or daring jumping spider. You can find P. audax spiders from southeastern Canada all the way down to Florida in the U.S., westward to British Columbia, and down to northern Mexico.
Jumping spiders live mainly in outdoor areas such as grasslands, prairies, and open woodlands, but you can usually find them in backyards, gardens, and old fields. 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. They can be beneficial to have around your garden because they like to eat pest insects, such as mosquitos and cutworms.
These spiders are not dangerous for humans and pets, as they don’t generally bite. But they can bite if they feel threatened or in danger of being squashed. If you are bitten, jumping spider bite symptoms tend to be mild like those of a mosquito bite, and they heal within a few hours.
Jumping spider pet
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.
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 Identify Jumping Spiders
People sometimes mistake a jumping spider for a black widow spider because the most common species have compact, black bodies. However, jumping spiders have relatively short and thick legs, whereas black widows have fairly long, thin legs. Also, jumping spiders are covered with brightly or light-colored hairs or scales, whereas black widows have smooth, glossy, and jet-black bodies.
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. These markings may be white, gray, yellow, red, blue, or green. Phidippus audax has brightly colored metallic or iridescent mouthparts called chelicerae. 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.
Adult jumping spiders are small, usually less than 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) in length. One centimeter is about the length of a grain of rice or the width of the nail on your pinkie finger. But depending on the species, they can range from about 1/8 inch to 3/4 inch in length.
They 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. Jumping spiders are carnivorous predators; they hunt and eat insects and other spiders that are about the same size or smaller than them. They stalk their prey, sneak up, then jump to pounce and catch it. Once they have it, they bite to inject it with a rapid-acting venom that immobilizes it.
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.
Do Jumping Spiders Bite?
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.
If you are bitten, wash the affected area with water and soap. Then, use a cold compress to help reduce any swelling. If you still feel jumping spider bites symptoms, take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, to ease your pain and itching.
If you have symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as redness, swelling, hives, or trouble breathing, go see your doctor right away. Also, take along the spider that bit you because this can help your doctor decide the best treatment for your reaction.
Are jumping spiders poisonous?
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.
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.
How to Prevent Jumping Spiders From Entering Your Home
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.
If you’re not sure whether a jumping spider has bitten you, the best way is to go see your doctor at your earliest convenience. They can identify the jumping spider bite symptoms and guide you accordingly.
Takeaways
Jumping spiders are a kind of carnivorous, predatory spiders that feed on many pest insects and other spiders. There are over 300 species in North America, but the most common is called Phidippus audax, commonly called the bold jumper. These spiders are highly intelligent hunters with beautiful, colored markings and mouthparts. They aren't considered dangerous to humans because, while they can bite people, they usually won't unless they feel threatened. If they do bite, their venom isn't strong enough to make most people sick. Some people even like to keep these relatively friendly and fascinating critters as pets.
Jumping Spider FAQs
Are jumping spiders dangerous to humans?
Jumping spiders aren't considered dangerous to humans. They do make venom, which they use to kill their prey, and they have strong enough jaws to penetrate human skin. However, they rarely bite unless they feel cornered or threatened.