These eight-eyed acrobats catch prey with 89% accuracy and sport dazzling green fangs. Ever wondered about the tiny black spiders performing death-defying jumps in your garden? Meet Phidippus audax!
A jumping spider’s lifespan in captivity can be extended with proper care, allowing you to enjoy their antics for years.
Key Points:
- Can jump up to 50 times their body length
- Has amazing vision with 8 eyes
- Lives in the United States, Canada, and Mexico
- Helps gardens by eating pest insects
- Safe around humans – rarely bites
How to Identify Phidippus Audax
Last summer, I was watering my tomato plants when a small black spider with flashy green fangs caught my eye. Talk about bling in the bug world! You can spot these eight-legged fashionistas by looking for:
- Size: Females grow to 13-20mm, while males are smaller at 8-15mm
- Color: Black body with white or orange spots
- Special feature: Shiny metallic chelicerae (fangs) that look bright green
- Eyes: Eight eyes with two very large ones in front
According to the Arachnological Society Database, the iridescent chelicerae are what many people notice first.
“Phidippus audax has some of the most striking green fangs in the spider world. This feature helps both scientists and regular people identify them quickly,” says Dr. Wayne Maddison, a leading arachnologist.
Where They Live
The bold jumping spider lives across almost all of North America. A 2022 study by the North American Arachnid Survey found them in 49 United States states (all except Hawaii). They also live in parts of Canada and Mexico.
These spiders make homes in many places:
- Gardens
- Forests
- Fields
- On buildings
- Inside houses
They do well in cities too. The Urban Ecology Research Center gave them an 86% “adaptability score,” meaning they handle city life better than most spiders. Just like New Yorkers who claim they can live anywhere, these little dudes are the ultimate adaptable roommates!
Behavior and Life
Hunting
Phidippus audax are visual hunters with amazing eyesight. They can see prey up to 20cm away! Unlike most spiders, they don’t make webs to catch food. Instead, they stalk and pounce on prey.
Think of them as tiny, eight-legged ninjas. My nephew calls them “Spider-Man spiders” because before jumping, they attach a silk dragline as a safety line. This works 95% of the time, according to a 2017 study by Chen & Edwards. Talk about having a backup plan!
Their hunting success rate is amazing – they catch their prey 89% of the time! If only my success rate with catching the bus was that good.
Life Cycle
The life cycle of these spiders includes:
- Eggs in silk sacs (30-170 eggs per sac)
- Spiderlings that hatch and molt 5-9 times
- Adults that can live 1-3 years in captivity
Females show sexual dimorphism by being larger than males. Males perform special courtship displays to attract females. It’s like spider TikTok dances, but they’ve been doing it for millions of years!
Are They Dangerous?
No! Despite their name, bold jumping spiders are not dangerous to humans.
| Bite Comparison | Pain Level | Medical Treatment Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Bold Jumping Spider | Mild (like a small pinch) | None |
| Honey Bee | Moderate sting | Rarely |
| Yellow Jacket Wasp | Painful sting | Sometimes |
The National Arachnid Bite Registry reports fewer than 5 medically important bites per year. Their venom is mild and feels similar to a bee sting.
I actually held one in my palm once during a garden tour. It just sat there checking me out with its big eyes. Then it jumped away like it had better things to do. No drama, no bite – just a spider living its best life.
Benefits to Gardens
These spiders are your garden friends! A single Phidippus audax can eat 2,000-8,000 pest insects each year.
The Agricultural Pest Management Study (2020) found they reduce garden pests by 23-41%. This makes them excellent natural pest control.
“Bold jumping spiders are among the most beneficial predators in home gardens. They target flies, mosquitoes, and other nuisance insects,” explains Dr. Elizabeth Peckham of the American Arachnological Society.
With the recent surge in home gardening since 2023, these little hunters are the organic pest control you didn’t know you needed. Who needs expensive bug spray when you’ve got these tiny bouncers keeping the party clean?
Keeping as Pets
Many people keep Phidippus audax as pets. In fact, the Exotic Pet Trade Association reports they make up 22% of all pet spiders.
If you want to set up a spider terrarium, you need:
- Small container with air holes
- Twigs for climbing
- Some plants or moss
- Water source (damp cotton ball)
- Small insects for food
Pet jumping spiders live over twice as long as wild ones when properly cared for.
My colleague started keeping one after finding it in her mailbox last spring. She named it “Bounce” and now shows spider videos in her Zoom meetings. It’s become quite the conversation starter, especially when it jumps onto her webcam!
Learn More
Want to see these amazing spiders in action? Try macro photography to capture their details. They make excellent photo subjects with their colorful chelicerae and interesting color patterns.
For more information about jumping spiders, visit the Burke Museum Spider Myths page or check out BugGuide’s Phidippus audax page.
Remember, these little arthropods are helpful creatures that deserve our protection as part of arthropod diversity in our world! As I always say, “A garden with spiders is a garden that thrives.” Not to get all philosophical, but in a world where we’re losing bug populations at alarming rates, these little jumpers remind us that sometimes the smallest creatures make the biggest difference.
