Amazing Facts About Jumping Spiders, Nature’s Cute and Colorful Predators

Many people are afraid of spiders, particularly large spiders. Or worse — spiders that can jump. However, jumping spiders are amazing arachnids. They’re smart and agile, and some are even considered cute. A few species are actually kept as pets.

Jumping spiders belong to the family Salticidae, which makes up about 13% of spider species. Over 5,000 species of jumping spiders have been described worldwide, but only around 300 of those are found in the U.S. Different species live in a wide variety of habitats, from tropical rainforests to deserts. It’s okay to be afraid of spiders, but the following five facts about jumping spiders might change your mind.

1. They Can Jump Up to 50 Times Their Body Length

Jumping spiders are incredibly athletic little creatures. They can run, climb, and even perform elaborate dances during courtship. However, they got their name due to their astounding jumping abilities. They can jump up to 50 times their body length. They are typically between 1/8 to 3/4 of an inch long. So, a 1/2-inch spider could jump more than two feet.

Scientists believe jumping spiders use a type of hydraulic system to enable them to jump so far. It is believed that the spiders contract their abdominal muscles, which decreases hemolymphic pressure in the abdomen and transfers that pressure to the legs that power the jump. They also spin a silk dragline behind them for stability and as a safety net. Some studies have discovered these spiders are also adept acrobats, somersaulting and rotating on the dragline.

2. Jumping Spiders Can Be Cute

Some people may feel that the words “cute” and “spider” do not belong in the same sentence, but jumping spiders possess a certain charm. Psychologists believe large eyes make us think of babies. So the large eyes of this spider make them appear even more endearing.

Jumping spiders are appealingly fuzzy, often sporting bright colors, iridescent fur, and bold patterns. Their movements also resemble a dance as they nibble with their pedipalps, leglike appendages of the mouth, or wave their front legs to attract a mate.

3. Jumping Spiders Have Nearly 360-Degree Vision

Strictly speaking, they don’t exactly have eyes on the backs of their heads. However, they can certainly see what’s happening behind them. Jumping spiders have camera-like eyes. They have a total of eight eyes that are arranged in pairs. They have two large forward-facing eyes that can see in high resolution and color. Two smaller eyes on either side of the principal eyes have a wider field of view, but they can only see in black and white.

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. Their incredible eyesight not only makes jumping spiders efficient hunters but also makes them difficult to catch or kill.

4. They Are Really Smart

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. Jumping spiders also display site fidelity, meaning if they find a good place to hunt or nest, they will return there if displaced.

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. The spiders in the study sought the container where the food had been, even after researchers replaced it with an empty container.

5. People Keep Jumping Spiders as Pets

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. They are typically either caught in the wild or purchased from a reputable breeder.

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. Jumping spiders have venomous fangs, but a bite is usually harmless. They are unlikely to bite unless they feel threatened. What do people do with a pet jumping spider? They allow them to crawl on their hands, feed them live insects, and make social media videos of their antics.