Spent 30 min trying to catch jumping spider in backyard. Jumping spider won... :(

[Mcskillz]

Okay so I just recently finished helping my students make this 3 minute video on Spiders and as I fed the cat this morning, I noticed a Jumping Spider moving across the patio. I got a cup and tried to trap him/her but she/he kept moving at rapid fire speed and I was unable to successfully transport him into a plastic enclosure I made. Once I lost sight of him/her I couldn't locate the spider anymore. The Jumping Spider was a tan brown with a brown stripe and blended well with the dry grass. He didn't seem too keen on getting caught.

I noticed people sell them online, should I just be lazy and order one online or try my luck again another day to catch those brown ones outside my house? They seem difficult to capture with a cup but maybe I'm not using the right methods...

 

[The Snark]

Just make a cup with your hands around them. Eventually they will jump onto your hands. Have a fuzzy or better yet hairy piece of cloth laid out nearby and get them to jump onto it. They can't navigate over fuzzy hairy and just walk slow and careful like an orb weaver outside it's web. Often the hairs on a forearm are enough to slow them way down.

 

[darksidemxer]

You can easily catch them with your hands. I have only ever had 1 bare fangs to me and wanna bite lol but i was pestering him to move so i didnt squish him while working. Love jumpers!

 

[Smokehound714]

menemerus bivittatus?

Sounds like it, as habronattus tend to be slower, and more tolerant of handling.

Grey wall jumpers never tolerate handling, and are always difficult to capture.

 

[Lucidd]

I have had some jumpers climb on my hands when I surround them on all sides. I usually make a flat open diamond shape with my hands and lower it around them so they can still see my face and know where they're going.

Other times, the more skittish ones I have slowly lowered a transparent container over to wait and see when they jump on the sides.

I think the most important thing to remember when trying to put a jumper at ease is not to make ANY quick movements. Normal paced movements are too fast and can startle them. The slower the better, make sure your body language and energy is calm and relaxed.

Also if you lose sight of them or they go into hiding, staying still for a while might get them to come out. It worked out for me a couple of times.

 

[The Snark]

Had a jumper doing some rappelling off the eave today. I grabbed it's life line, placed it on my hand for a moment to give it a look over, then placed it on a wall. It jumped back on my hand. Left it there and went out for my bike ride. 15 km later something is tickling. It had been all over me I guess and finally came down my arm. I stuck my arm in a bush. It refused to budge. Ignoring it again I finished my 50 K ride. The last 100 meters I notice the jumper is riding on my handle bars. Brought it up and turned it loose in the computer room, giving me an excuse to evict the cat from said room. Once they get used to you these can be serious social companions. And they don't need a litter box and make meow noises all night.

 

[Lucidd]

Had a jumper doing some rappelling off the eave today. I grabbed it's life line, placed it on my hand for a moment to give it a look over, then placed it on a wall. It jumped back on my hand. Left it there and went out for my bike ride. 15 km later something is tickling. It had been all over me I guess and finally came down my arm. I stuck my arm in a bush. It refused to budge. Ignoring it again I finished my 50 K ride. The last 100 meters I notice the jumper is riding on my handle bars. Brought it up and turned it loose in the computer room, giving me an excuse to evict the cat from said room. Once they get used to you these can be serious social companions. And they don't need a litter box and make meow noises all night.

That's really funny and cool! I have fought the urge several times to take a jumper with me when I take walks, but now I think I'll try it. I didn't fully realize their potential for activity partners. :laugh:

I had an interesting encounter with a random jumper this week, also. I woke up to go to the bathroom in the early AM, and as I crawled back in bed I realized I was being watched by a little ant mimic type. I put a hand up to him and he didn't take long to hop on. This was the most bizarre interaction I've had with a jumper, because he seemed incredibly interested in trying to communicate something, though I wasn't able to tell what. After he jumped on my hand I laid down and rested my hand on the bed about 12 inches in front of my face. He would explore my hand for a few moments, turn to my face then do a series of different displays. At no point did I see them as threats, considering he hopped on me with little hesitation. I'm not sure how to describe them, it looked like he was dancing or trying to hypnotize me, haha. He was waving his arms at different times, then raising up multiple arms and vibrating them. That went on for maybe 10 minutes, then he started roaming up my arm more and I didn't want him to get squished when I fell back asleep so I put him back on the wall, went back to bed and haven't seen him since. I have been hoping to see that one again, as the others of the same species I've encountered were far more skittish than this one.

 

[The Snark]

That's really funny and cool! I have fought the urge several times to take a jumper with me when I take walks, but now I think I'll try it. I didn't fully realize their potential for activity partners. :laugh:

I had an interesting encounter with a random jumper this week, also. I woke up to go to the bathroom in the early AM, and as I crawled back in bed I realized I was being watched by a little ant mimic type. I put a hand up to him and he didn't take long to hop on. This was the most bizarre interaction I've had with a jumper, because he seemed incredibly interested in trying to communicate something, though I wasn't able to tell what. After he jumped on my hand I laid down and rested my hand on the bed about 12 inches in front of my face. He would explore my hand for a few moments, turn to my face then do a series of different displays. At no point did I see them as threats, considering he hopped on me with little hesitation. I'm not sure how to describe them, it looked like he was dancing or trying to hypnotize me, haha. He was waving his arms at different times, then raising up multiple arms and vibrating them. That went on for maybe 10 minutes, then he started roaming up my arm more and I didn't want him to get squished when I fell back asleep so I put him back on the wall, went back to bed and haven't seen him since. I have been hoping to see that one again, as the others of the same species I've encountered were far more skittish than this one.

It sounds like it could have been a male doing a courtship display. They will do it just in the hopes a female may be about even if they don't see one.

 

[JayDangerVL]

I had an interesting encounter with a random jumper this week, also. I woke up to go to the bathroom in the early AM, and as I crawled back in bed I realized I was being watched by a little ant mimic type. I put a hand up to him and he didn't take long to hop on. This was the most bizarre interaction I've had with a jumper, because he seemed incredibly interested in trying to communicate something, though I wasn't able to tell what. After he jumped on my hand I laid down and rested my hand on the bed about 12 inches in front of my face. He would explore my hand for a few moments, turn to my face then do a series of different displays. At no point did I see them as threats, considering he hopped on me with little hesitation. I'm not sure how to describe them, it looked like he was dancing or trying to hypnotize me, haha. He was waving his arms at different times, then raising up multiple arms and vibrating them. That went on for maybe 10 minutes, then he started roaming up my arm more and I didn't want him to get squished when I fell back asleep so I put him back on the wall, went back to bed and haven't seen him since. I have been hoping to see that one again, as the others of the same species I've encountered were far more skittish than this one.

That's so cool! Any idea what kind of jumper it was?

 

[Lucidd]

It sounds like it could have been a male doing a courtship display. They will do it just in the hopes a female may be about even if they don't see one.

I suppose that makes most sense. I'd still like to pretend he was trying to help me fall back asleep, haha. :giggle:

---------- Post added 10-22-2013 at 08:17 PM ----------

That's so cool! Any idea what kind of jumper it was?

Unfortunately not, though I've been on a mission to ID this species for a month because I already collected 2 of them. It is the only ant mimic jumper I've found in the area, and looks nothing like other "commonly found" ant mimics I've seen from any source. If you're curious what it looks like, I have some pictures and a video here.

 

[Curious jay]

A lap dance from a jumper..... Hilarious.

 

[Lucidd]

A lap dance from a jumper..... Hilarious.

Haha! That would technically be a palm dance then. :biggrin:

 

[Bugmom]

I'm kinda envious. I call the jumpers here "a*****e spiders" because they rappel down from the ceiling with no warning.

I need to post a sign on my door: "Guests may be subject to random spider hitchhikers. Hairstyles requiring lots of hairspray are discouraged."

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