Catching jumping spiders

[AnimusVenator]

Hello there, I have personally never had any bug/insect/arthropod at all as a pet but decided that my first one would be a jumping spider that I would catch myself. I live in New York and with the information I have from the internet it says there are only 3 types of jumping spiders in New York. Yesterday was the first day I went out into my large backyard to search for one, I went during three different periods of the day and each time they were about 30 minutes to an hour long.

The first time I went I found something that I still think is a jumping spider but was confused about the colors it posed. It was against my above-ground pool's walls. It was a very tiny creature with an orange abdomen and a clear/yellow body. With the little information I have it acted like a jumping spider. I think it spotted me before I spotted it, it waved the front of its body left and right as if inspecting me. I lent out my finger and inspected that as well bobbing left and right. It jumped away but then again, but it vanished from my sight. I tried again and it jumped on again, but then I made a mistake putting a red cup over it, I was trying to let the caterpillar that I have previously found but I guess it mistook me for capturing it.

Was that really a juvenile jumping spider? For me it acted as if it were one but no jumping spider in NY has those colors? Was it an insect/bug?

With the amount of time I have spent in my backyard I couldn't find any other jumping spider, can I have some tips on finding my own? I check my white fences, brick walls, outer walls of the pool, and the plants that are close to the fences.

 

[Curious jay]

Juveniles/slings will often have a different colour variation to adults, as do most spiders.

Try southern facing walls/fences I often see them hunting/basking around 10am.

 

[AnimusVenator]

Juveniles/slings will often have a different colour variation to adults, as do most spiders.

Try southern facing walls/fences I often see them hunting/basking around 10am.

Thanks, I knew they differed in color but was truly wondering what type it was. I also looked up juvenile colors on the three different jumping spiders in my area and I couldn't find a similar looking one, do they vary at times?

Should I also check the walls of the pool as well?

How easy is it to find yourself? Do you see a lot in a day?

 

[Curious jay]

Thanks, I knew they differed in color but was truly wondering what type it was. I also looked up juvenile colors on the three different jumping spiders in my area and I couldn't find a similar looking one, do they vary at times?

Should I also check the walls of the pool as well?

How easy is it to find yourself? Do you see a lot in a day?

I can't say for the variation in American species as I've never owned/raised any, most spiders will have colour variations, some more variable than others but they generally keep certain distinct markings and such.

Check any walls/fences/plants/shrubs etc. Determine what specie you want to look for in your area and research it's habitat and distribution to make sure it's actually in your area or you will be wasting alot of time lol.

Time of year also has alot to do with how frequent you will see them, in April I could step outside for a smoke and easily see 5+ on my wall/porch hunting or basking. Currently haven't seen any for a while though, although I haven't been directly looking for them.

---------- Post added 07-11-2014 at 09:07 AM ----------

According to this site: http://www.spiders.us/species/filter/new-york/ (unsure on
it's reliability so I'd wait on confirmation on how correct it is) You only have S. scenicus (These are native here in the UK so I can say the patterns are very visible and colour doesn't vary that much from specimens I've found, even at a small size the pattern is visible, not very large growing though) and P. audax (others will need to chime in with info on these as I can't help much) I believe these are one of the largest Salticids available to you, possibly the largest. Mature specimens will have irridescent green chelicerae.

The MM of this species I think im correct in remembering that they are extremely similar to another Salticid thats distributed in the US, names currently evading me though.

Salticids are very easy to identify from other spiders due to their eyes being very prominent, as seen in picture #5 & #6 in this link: http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3600794

Hope this helped a bit.

 

[AnimusVenator]

I can't say for the variation in American species as I've never owned/raised any, most spiders will have colour variations, some more variable than others but they generally keep certain distinct markings and such.

Check any walls/fences/plants/shrubs etc. Determine what specie you want to look for in your area and research it's habitat and distribution to make sure it's actually in your area or you will be wasting alot of time lol.

Time of year also has alot to do with how frequent you will see them, in April I could step outside for a smoke and easily see 5+ on my wall/porch hunting or basking. Currently haven't seen any for a while though, although I haven't been directly looking for them.

---------- Post added 07-11-2014 at 09:07 AM ----------

According to this site: http://www.spiders.us/species/filter/new-york/ (unsure on
it's reliability so I'd wait on confirmation on how correct it is) You only have S. scenicus (These are native here in the UK so I can say the patterns are very visible and colour doesn't vary that much from specimens I've found, even at a small size the pattern is visible, not very large growing though) and P. audax (others will need to chime in with info on these as I can't help much) I believe these are one of the largest Salticids available to you, possibly the largest. Mature specimens will have irridescent green chelicerae.

The MM of this species I think im correct in remembering that they are extremely similar to another Salticid thats distributed in the US, names currently evading me though.

Salticids are very easy to identify from other spiders due to their eyes being very prominent, as seen in picture #5 & #6 in this link: http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3600794

Hope this helped a bit.

I think there is about 3 species in NY according to that website; Tan, Bold, and Zebra.

When I woke up to your post about 30 minutes later I saw a spider using its silk to lower itself from the ceiling. It was getting blown by my AC and once it started to move around I tried to get its attention. It was already making its escape between the crack of the screen of my AC, probably from which it came as well. It was a zebra spider after looking at the coloring. There are barely or zero bugs in my room and it is about 68-70 degrees so I guess it got disinterested. (What temperatures do they like? If I catch one and house one will it not enjoy my AC room?) It seemed to notice me but it just scurried away, I didn't look for any that day but it was pretty cool to see one in my room after wanting one.

 

[Smokehound714]

If you're looking for phidippus, you'll need to look around good mature growth, like old rose bushes with ample leaf litter. Phidippus audax is known to be attracted to rosids and sages. They prefer plants with leaves that curl up when they dry.

Generally, anywhere with abundant non-toxic flowers, and ample leaf-litter is Phidippus heaven. There's no telling what species you may find.

Menemerus sp. 'grey wall jumpers' seem to prefer stucco and bricks matching their colors, as do Platycryptus.


Habronattus are tiny terrestrial jumpers that prefer patrolling the ground. You'll often find them sunning on your garden hose.