Many spiders can jump, but not all of them can jump as high as these tiny spiders because these jumping spiders have a special type of leg that allows them to jump long distances.
There are approximately 4,000 species of jumping spiders worldwide, with only 300 of them found in the United States. As adults, most of them are only about an inch long, and we’ll get to know a few of them in this article.
12 Tiny spiders that jump
1. Tan jumping spider
Scientific Name: Platycryptus undatus
The Tan jumping spider is an arachnid species native to the eastern United States. They have brown or tan bodies, darker brown legs, and a red-brown cephalothorax. The male is distinguished by the reddish-orange coloration between the eyes and pedipalps.
Females have lighter color in this area than males, typically white to light gray. They’re generally tiny spiders that measure 0.40 to 0.60 inches in length, with males being smaller than females.
2. Bold jumping spider
Scientific Name: Phidippus audax
A Bold jumping spider is a small spider that measures 0.24 to 0.59 inches in length. They have eight eyes and two large front legs for hunting that are frequently striped or banded in black and white. This species is most common from Canada and the Atlantic Coast states west to California.
They prefer grasslands, prairies, and open woodlands, but they can also be found in gardens and backyards. These spiders have black, orange, yellow, or white spots and patterns on their backs. Males of this species also have hair tufts over their eyes.
3. Zebra jumping spider
Scientific Name: Salticus scenicus
Zebra jumping spiders are distinguished by their distinctive black and white stripes, as the name implies. Their eyes are perfectly arranged in three rows, allowing them to see forward and upward.
They’re native to Europe, but these arachnids are also widely distributed in North America. Zebra jumping spiders can be found in urban and rural settings, frequently in gardens, meadows, and even house windows.
These jumping spiders are extremely small, measuring only 0.16 to 0.28 inches in length. Males court females by dancing in zigzag patterns, and they usually breed in the spring and early summer.
4. Phidippus californicus
Scientific Name: Phidippus californicus
Phidippus californicus is a member of the Salticidae family, known for its ability to jump large distances and have very good eyesight. You can find this spider from the southwestern United States to northern Mexico, where it lives on bushes planted on slopes and in moist habitats.
These colorful spiders range in size from 7 to 11 mm, with females reaching up to 12 mm. Their bodies are fuzzy black or gray with orange or yellow bands on their legs and a bright red or orange back with black and white markings. Their chelicerae are also blue-green iridescent.
5. Common Leaf-beetle Jumping Spider
Scientific Name: Sassacus papenhoei
You can find the common leaf-beetle jumping spider in the southern United States. This jumping spider hunts its prey by jumping on it, and you can find it in desert brush, upland prairie, and meadows.
The common leaf-beetle jumping spider is a greenish or purplish-black color and has iridescent pigments that give them a reflective sheen. They’re solitary creatures that range in size from 0.12 to 0.28 inches, and breeding can be seen in the spring or the fall. These spiders use their excellent vision, which includes the ability to see ultraviolet light, to survive.
6. Banded Phintella
Scientific Name: Phintella vittata
The Banded Phintella is a small, brightly colored spider with a unique pattern of stripes and spots. It’s a carnivorous hunter who uses its powerful front legs to capture prey and defend itself if necessary.
Its distinguishing features include being covered in blue and black bands and being capable of detecting UV light. They’re also 6 to 7 mm in size, with males being slightly smaller than females.
7. Regal jumper
Scientific Name: Phidippus regius
Regal jumpers are a type of jumping spider that only grows to be 6 to 18 mm long. These tiny arachnids are commonly found in open woodland habitats, but they can also be found in building walls. These species dance to attract females by displaying their leg fringes.
Regal jumpers’ large eyes and jumping ability are among their known features, and they don’t use webs to catch prey. Male spiders have black bodies with white spots and stripes, while female spiders have gray or orange bodies.
8. Magnolia green jumper
Scientific Name: Lyssomanes viridis
This species is a small spider that can grow to be 7 – 8mm in length, with males being smaller than females. They’re typically green, appearing pale and translucent, with red, orange, yellow, or white fringes on the crown of their heads.
These spiders live in forests and woodlands with a high concentration of magnolia trees. They’re also found in drier areas alongside maple and oak trees. Females lay their eggs on the undersides of leaves and die after the eggs hatch.
9. Yellow Sac Spider
Scientific Name: Cheiracanthium inclusum
Yellow sac spiders are found throughout North and South America. These spiders prefer to live beneath debris or structures, where they can form egg sacs and hide during the day. They can also be found in trees, especially in the leaves and fruits.
These arachnids are distinguished by their light yellow color, with an orange stripe running down their abdomen. Yellow sac spiders are nocturnal and prefer to hunt at night by jumping into their prey and paralyzing them with cytotoxic venom before feeding on them.
10. Twin-flagged jumping spider
Scientific Name: Anasaitis canosa
A type of jumping spider known as a twin-flagged jumping spider has two flag-shaped markings on its pedipalps, which act as an antennae and aid in the spider’s ability to sense its surroundings.
These spiders can be found in trees, bushes, and man-made structures. They primarily feed on ants and other insects, and they do so by pouncing and puncturing their prey rather than catching them in their webs. Twin-flagged jumping spiders have black bodies with white markings and iridescent setae and are only 5 to 6 mm long.
11. Canopy Jumping Spider
Scientific Name: Phidippus otiosus
The Canopy Jumping Spider is a spider species found in southeastern North America. They’re usually found in trees and are only 0.62 inches long.
These jumping spiders can be brown, gray, or orange in color, with iridescent purple to green chelicerae. Instead of using webs to catch prey, this spider uses its long legs to jump onto it and kill it with venomous fangs.
12. Common White-cheeked Jumping Spider
Scientific Name: Pelegrina proterva
This brown arachnid, known as the common white-cheeked jumping spider, is found in the United States. It’s a small spider, measuring 3.3 to 5.6 mm in length, with females being larger than males. They’re easily identified by the white and black bands that run throughout their bodies.
This spider species only breeds once a year. The female common white-cheeked jumping spider lays her eggs in the fall. The eggs remain dormant until spring, when they hatch into tiny spiders that molt several times before becoming adults by late summer or early fall.
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