In California, there are over 35 different species of jumping spiders. Explore this fascinating world. Acquire knowledge of their distinct traits, environments, and actions to gain understanding of the variety of spider species present in the region.
Are California Flattened Jumping Spiders poisonous?
While flat jumping spiders, like many other spider species, possess venom used to immobilize their prey, they are not generally considered harmful to humans. Their venom is not known to be toxic or dangerous to humans, and their bites are typically not a cause for concern. However, individual reactions to spider bites can vary, and some people may experience mild symptoms such as redness, swelling, or itchiness at the bite site. If you have concerns about a spider bite or are experiencing severe symptoms, it is advisable to consult a medical professional for appropriate guidance and treatment.
Common types of jumping spiders in California
1. California Flattened Jumping Spider
Although it builds a web for protection, the California Flattened Jumping Spider (Platycryptus californicus) hunts by ambush. They return the victim to their web to eat it later. Despite their typical lack of aggression toward people, they occasionally bite if provoked—usually as a result of poor treatment. The consequences of their bite are similar to those of a bee sting.
2. Black-Palped Jumping Spider
On the edges of forests, Black-Palped Jumping Spiders (Pseudeuophrys erratica) are usually found beneath rocks or tree bark. Males only reach 4mm in size, while females grow to 5mm. In the summer and fall, they are regularly sighted. These were imported to the United places from Europe and Asia, where they were subsequently seen in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, among other places.
3. Hirsute Paradise Spider
With a jump that may reach four times its body length, the Hirsute Paradise Spider (Habronattus hirsutus) is renowned for its exceptional speed and jumping ability. They can hunt and avoid threats well thanks to their agility. Take caution, as they have the potential to bite if mistreated or in danger, causing confined pain and swelling.
4. Slender Ant-Mimic Jumping Spider
The slender mimic ant The Jumping Spider (Synemosyna formica) can deceive predators by skillfully imitating ants. Its slim, defined belly and pronounced downward-sloping cephalothorax are its best features. Its legs are particularly notable for having prominent spines; the front pair resemble ant antennae. Males develop to 0.5mm in length, while females reach 0.6cm. These cunning spiders usually live in tall bushes and grasses.
5. Cardinal Jumping Spider
There are areas in North America where the Cardinal Jumping Spider (Phidippus cardinalis) is indigenous. These little spiders have hairy black legs, black-banded abdomens, and red carapaces. Instead of using webs to trap prey, they use an ambush technique. Although they can immobilize prey with the poison in their fangs, humans are not in danger from them, but they may bite if provoked.
6. Thin-Spined Jumping Spider
Mostly located east of the Rocky Mountains and in adjacent Canadian provinces, the little species known as the Thin-Spined Jumping Spider (Tutelina elegans) is distributed throughout the United States. All summer long, they can be found in tall grass, bushes, and on the undersides of rocks. Males are up to 5 mm long, with a reddish-brown carapace and green iridescent scales that change color according on the angle of the light. They have short, striped legs that are ideal for jumping. Females have a darker look and a noticeable white band at the base of their comparatively bigger abdomens, measuring up to 6 mm.
7. Apache Jumping Spider
The unique species known as the Apache Jumping Spider (Phidippus apacheanus) is distributed throughout the United States. While females can grow to 22mm, men are only 3.3mm. Their bodies are black with patterns that are orange, yellow, or red, like the western velvet ant. Their spectacular courting displays feature males making complicated movements and females dancing in acceptance. They live in a variety of environments, including farms, grasslands, and deserts.
8. Hammer-Jawed Jumping Spider
In the US, the Hammer-Jawed Jumping Spider (Zygoballus rufipes) is a common pest. Males develop to 4mm, while females reach 6mm. With the skill of a single silk strand, they ambush and carry prey to their nests. They are quite good jumpers and have excellent vision, so they carry out their hunting plans quickly.
9. Whitman’s Jumping Spider
White hairs are frequently seen on the forelegs of the male Whitman’s Jumping Spider (Phidippus whitmani), which has a red upper body and a characteristic black eye band. The female, though, seems brown in contrast. By matching their size and color, they deftly mimic multillid wasps. In both Canada and the United States, this species is widely distributed.
10. Regal Jumping Spider
The Regal Jumping Spider (Phidippus regius) varies in size, with males at 18mm and females at 22mm. Distinguishing between the genders can be tricky. Males boast black bodies with white spots and stripes, while females display comparable patterns in shades from white to bright orange, often resembling a smiling face. While their bites are rare, they can cause localized pain and swelling when provoked. These spiders frequently inhabit open areas across the United States, including fields, woodlands, and building walls.
11. Half-Edged Wall Jumping Spider
Male Menemerus semilimbatus (the Half-Edged Wall Jumping Spider), is slightly smaller than females, with a maximum length of 8.4mm. These large jumping spiders have noticeable eyes that face forward and short, gray-white fur. Their legs are light brown with dark rings, and their belly is either yellow or gray with characteristic V-shaped markings. These spiders are often found stalking on walls and inhabiting gardens and building perimeters.
12. Common White-Cheeked Jumping Spider
Eastern United States is home to the Common White-Cheeked Jumping Spider (Pelegrina proterva). Males measure 4.2 mm, while females reach 5.6 mm. Their carapaces are rusty-brown, with a pronounced white band across the forehead and stripes on both sides. While females have tan or yellow bodies with black spots and lines, males have bronze bodies with striped abdomens. Both have short, nimble legs; the females have yellow legs with brown spots or circles, and the males have black and white banded legs.They have short legs designed for jumping. Males have black and white banded legs, whereas females’ legs are yellow with brown spots or circles.
13. Canopy Jumping Spider
The little species known as canopy jumping spiders (Phidippus otiosus) are mostly found on the eastern and southeastern coasts of the United States. They especially like to live in wooded regions with evergreens nearby. They have black highlights on their white hair, with variations in brown, orange, or two-tone color schemes. These spiders, which may be identified by their shiny emerald green chelicerae, use ambush techniques to catch food that is frequently larger than themselves. Although innocuous to people, they usually choose to flee from danger.
14. Grayish Jumping Spider
The about 12-mm-long Grayish Jumping Spider (Phidippus princeps) is frequently observed in the eastern regions of the United States. Males have black bodies with white and black leg fringes. They also have a white band around their abdomens and characteristic white oval and triangle marks on their backs. The color pattern is the same in females, who are larger at 22 mm and have black dorsal regions decorated with colored scales. Females with vibrant colors are mostly found in Florida and the Greater Antilles.
15. Ribbon Jumping Spider
The maximum size of the Ribbon Jumping Spider (Metacyrba taeniola) is 7 cm, with females usually being larger. They are daytime active, native to the eastern United States, and frequently spotted indoors in cities. They stalk and pounce on prey using their keen vision, characterized by distinctive markings and small red-brown hairs. They bite when threatened, but they are not aggressive.
16. Putnam’s Jumping Spider
Phidippus putnami, commonly known as the Putnam’s Jumping Spider, is characterized by eye-catching black hair tufts located above and along the sides of its head. Typically found in parks, gardens, woods, parking lots, and open spaces, they sporadically enter buildings in quest of food. They are not dangerous, but they show curiosity and could closely examine observers.
17. Pantropical Jumping Spider
Originally from southeast Asia and currently residing in the United States, the Pantropical Jumping Spider (Plexippus paykulli) is frequently observed hunting in artificial light close to buildings.
Males are robust, with a high, gray-haired carapace and crimson highlights. The females reach a maximum size of 12 mm, which is little bigger than the males’ 11 mm.
Males have black abdomens with broad white stripes down the middle and on the sides, along with white spots at the end of the abdomen. The carapace of the females is dark, with two white spots on either side of the rear and a broad tan stripe down the abdomen that divides into two chevrons. The females are brown-gray in color. Young animals resemble females.
18. Buttonhook Leaf-Beetle Jumping Spider
Native to North America, the Buttonhook Leaf-Beetle Jumping Spider (Sassacus vitis) grows to a maximum length of 5 mm, with females being larger than males. They are widely distributed over the globe, but are most widespread in California. Their primary food source is tiny insects. The bodies of these spiders are glossy and either brown or black, with white lines distinctly visible across the front of the abdomen. They actively search for and seize prey using their keen vision, and they do not pose a threat to people.
19. Peppered Jumping Spider
Pelegrina galathea (the native peppered jumping spider), is found in sunny grassy areas and is native to North America. Appearing in black and white, they can jump up to 2.5 cm and have excellent jumping abilities. Their four sets of eyes—two big, on the face—are mostly inoffensive, and they have a tendency to flee from perceived danger. But, if mistreated or provoked, they might bite.
20. Brilliant Jumping Spider
Phidippus clarus (the brilliant jumping spider), is found in ancient fields in eastern North America. They frequently perch near the top of plants, in an inverted position, from which they can see prey. As soon as they’re noticed, they quickly dive to land. These comparatively large spiders have a rectangular carapace and are usually 4 mm wide. Although most are reddish-brown, some have light yellow or brown tones with black patterns. They usually live in flower-rich areas where crab spiders also reside.
21. Common Hentz Jumping Spider
Using remarkable jumping abilities, the Common Hentz Jumping Spider (Hentzia palmarum) is a little ambush predator that captures victims without the need of spinning webs. They use a silk dragline to help them escape and secure their target when they attack. Large spherical eyes ringed in an orange band of hair encircle these spiders, which have long, dark red forelegs that contrast with yellow ones and red pedipalps that are frequently confused for an extra pair of legs. They have dark banded abdomens and brown-red heads with a white hairy border. They usually hide under leaf litter, but sometimes they go inside to look for food.
22. Asiatic Wall Jumping Spider
Originating in western and northern Asia, the Asiatic Wall Jumping Spider (Attulus fasciger) was brought to North America. This brown-black spider has eight sharp eyes that are essential for hunting, courting, and avoiding predators. Males and females look similar, and they are rather little, growing to lengths of 4 mm. Males have bigger palps but a smaller abdomen than females.
23. Sylvan Jumping Spider
Males and females of the Sylvan Jumping Spider (Colonus sylvanus) measure 9 mm and 10 mm, respectively. While females appear pale cream with distinct white stripes on the abdomen, males are black with reds and yellows. They are often found in bushes in forest areas, though they do sometimes come inside to hunt. They are harmless to people and usually flee from confrontation.
24. Johnson’s Jumping Spider
Phidippus johnsoni, or Johnson’s Jumping Spiders, are among the biggest and most frequently observed in western North America. They are around 1 centimeter in size, with brilliant red abdomens and a black center line on the females. They are easily recognized by their mainly black bodies and bright teal chelicerae. They live in arid environments and build silken nests beneath rocks and wood to provide cover from the weather at night.
25. White-Jawed Jumping Spider
The female of the White-jawed Jumping Spider (Hentzia mitrata) is larger than the male, and its maximum length is only 1/6 of an inch. This is a very little species. Their coloring is light brown, and they have light white markings on their legs and back, along with copper hairs on their forehead. Because of their extraordinary vision, these non-aggressive spiders hunt without building webs and do no harm to humans. Because they typically sit high and ambush their prey, they are fascinating to watch.
26. Flea Jumping Spider
In the US and Canada, the Flea Jumping Spider (Naphrys pulex) is common. The legs, abdomen, and cephalothorax of males are mottled in black and gray, with prominent orange highlights on the sides of the cephalothorax. In addition to hardwood forests with an abundance of leaf litter, they are frequently sighted in prairies, forested regions, and tall grass. Occasionally, these spiders are seen on bark, in outcrops, or indoors, where they feed on insects and other arthropods.
27. Dimorphic Jumping Spider
Across North America, the Dimorphic Jumping Spider (Maevia inclemens) is a common and colorful spider. During courting, males grow to 6.5mm, females to 8mm, and males to both the “tufted” and “gray” forms. For hunting, mating, and avoiding danger, they depend on their acute vision. They are frequently spotted on buildings and can leap four times their body length. Males vary in appearance, having a large carapace and black-edged eyes, while females are light brown with a black belly band and occasionally chevron markings.
28. Gray Wall Jumping Spider
Menemerus bivittatus, often known as the gray wall jumping spider, is frequently observed on tree trunks and building walls. They attain a length of 9 mm and are covered in short, gray-white hairs, with tufts of dark brown hair near the eyes. The females are larger than the males. While females have brown bodies with characteristic black bands and stripes on the carapace and abdomen, males have a black dorsal stripe and a white-brown stripe on the sides of the abdomen. They were brought to the US and are now found in Texas, Florida, and California. They are originally from Africa.
29. Golden Jumping Spider
The large, lone hunter known as the Golden jumping spider (Paraphidippus aurantius), sometimes referred to as the emerald jumping spider. They usually have green or black coloring, with a white border encircling the belly and characteristic white side stripes on the head. They are found all over the country and have white mid-line hairs with dots and lines on both sides.
30. Bronze Jumping Spider
In American suburbs and rural areas, the Bronze Jumping Spider (Eris militaris), sometimes known as the bronze jumper, is a frequent sight. Males have light abdomens and darker cephalothorax with white side bands, while females have a light cephalothorax and dark abdomen with white markings. For females, they can grow up to 8 mm in size, and for males, up to 6.7 mm.
31. Magnolia Green Jumping Spider
Small and native to the United States, especially the Southeast, is the Magnolia Green Jumping Spider (Lyssomanes viridis). Males grow to a length of 6mm, while females reach 8mm. Their body is translucent green, and around their head and eyes is a small-scale fringe that is frequently colored in orange, red, yellow, or white. These spiders have a jump height greater than four times their own body length. Males defend themselves visually during fights by pressing against one another and flailing their forelegs and chelicerae.
32. Twin-Flagged Jumping Spider
The tiny species known as Anasaitis canosa, or Twin-Flagged Jumping Spider, is commonly discovered on leaf litter and artificial constructions. They are identified by the presence of two pennant-shaped patterns on the dorsal side of the cephalothorax, which exhibit green, pink, or white iridescent scales. Males of these spiders are smaller than females, and they normally reach a length of 6 mm. Female spiders are larger and have uniform coloring, whereas males have comparatively smaller abdomens and darker appendages.
33. Zebra Jumping Spider
Salticus scenicus, or Zebra Jumping Spiders, are common in North America and have a striking black and white pattern. Males develop to a maximum length of 6mm, while females can reach up to 9mm. These little spiders have stripes made of black and white hair. They frequently favor open vertical habitats near humans and are typically seen in open areas like beaches, rock walls, and tree trunks. They regularly appear on windowsills and have a propensity to infiltrate dwellings.
34. Tan Jumping Spider
Tan Jumping Spiders (Platycryptus undatus) may hide beneath tree bark due to their compressed bodies. Their abdomens have a characteristic chevron pattern that makes them easy to identify. Male spiders grow to a maximum of 9.5mm in length, while females can reach up to 13mm. Walls and fences are examples of vertical surfaces that they tend to prefer. Although they don’t bite much, if they sense danger, they might. These spiders are distributed throughout North and Central America, from Texas and Wisconsin to the Eastern States and Canada.
35. Bold Jumping Spider
Throughout the United States, including Hawaii, the Bold Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax), sometimes referred to as the bold jumper, is common. These spiders are easily identified by their unique white triangle on their abdomen and their black hue. They also have excellent vision, which helps them in their predatory endeavors. They are frequently found in many temperate climates and feed primarily on insects, caterpillars, grasshoppers, dragonflies, and other spiders.
They are not naturally hostile, but they will bite if they are agitated or treated poorly. Male adults reach about 13mm in length, while female adults can grow up to 15mm.
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