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Family Salticidae - Jumping spiders

These small spiders are diurnal active hunters.

article by Michael J. Martinez

The Bold Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax) is also known as the Daring or Three Spot jumping spider. It is a native north American species said to have its original range as east of the Rocky Mountains, southeastern Canada west to British Colombia south to Florida and the Gulf coast. and northern Mexico. The species may have been absent from the arid southwest prior to human settlement and irrigation, but has been introduced there by human activity. It has also been introduced to Hawaii and also occurs in Cuba. (Barnes 2004; Jackman 1997)

The Bold Jumper is a large species 15 to 20mm with females slightly larger than males. It has now become a common species in backyards and gardens in the los Angeles basin and has apparently displaced the once common Johnson's Jumper, Phidippus johnsoni in southern California in urban areas. It also occurs in Agricultural habitat and old fields, and also in natural habitats such as grasslands, prairies and open woodland.

Jumping spiders (family Salticidae) have the best vision of any spiders and only use silk as a life line, to make a retreat to hide in, and also to place their eggs in a egg sac. Salticids are active during the day (diurnal) and stalk their prey like a jungle cat - when they get close enough, they pounce. Their prey includes many insects and other spiders including the venomous Hobo spider Tegenaria agrestes (Vest 1999). The Bold Jumper can jump up to 50 times its own body length. It is not poisonous to humans and is beneficial as it preys on many insect pests and perhaps other more dangerous spiders.
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