If you are ready to see some cute jumping spiders and learn about fun and amazing jumping spider facts, then I have a treat for you!
I may be a little biased here, but jumping spiders are the cutest spiders on the planet!
With all the pretty colors they sport and their demeanor, it isn’t hard to see why most of us find these little spiders so cute and adorable while other spider species get labeled as creepy and scary.
But I’m sure you didn’t visit this article to hear me rave about how cute jumping spiders are – you came for the facts and the cute pictures. So let’s just get into the facts and the cuteness!
1. Jumping Spiders Really Are Jumpers
The first amazing and fun fact about cute and adorable jumping spiders is that they don’t have special leg muscles as you see in certain insects that leap in the air – like crickets and grasshoppers.
Jumping spiders use their ability to change blood flow in their bodies to propel them in the air. They use this technique mainly on prey when they are hunting.
To jump in the air, jumping spiders use special muscles that increase the blood flow in their legs, which causes them to fully extend their legs and propels them in the air.
Jumping spiders can leap as high as fifty times their own body length.
2. Jumping Spiders Have Rhythm
Another fun and amazing fact about cute jumping spiders is that males in most species use their spectacular colors in a dance ritual to attract potential female mates.
While amazing and just the cutest to us, it serves a purpose for male jumping spiders. During their performance, males will use vibrations by drumming on the ground and rubbing body parts together to get and keep potential females interested.
To increase their chances of finding a mate, males will keep their distance during this performance because they do this ritual to any female jumping spider passing by, regardless of the species. Males keep their distance because if they run into the wrong female spider, they may get eaten.
3. Jumping Spiders Pioneered Space Travel
A cute jumping spider named Nefertiti went on a space mission to the International Space Station because of a YouTube contest.
Nefertiti (a Johnson jumper, also known as a red-back jumping spider) spent a hundred days at the ISS and traveled a total of forty-two miles before returning. Unfortunately, she died soon after returning.
At least she was able to check that off her bucket list!
4. Jumping Spiders Are Found Around the World
Another fun fact about cute jumping spiders is that they are found everywhere on the planet except for the extremely coldest regions of the world. So basically, jumping spiders are found everywhere except Antarctica.
While they prefer warmer climates like – grasslands, temperate and tropical forests, and scrublands – they can still be found in cold climates. Some species can even be found in hot deserts around the world.
5. Jumping Spiders Can Tilt Their Heads
Since spiders have no necks, most of them have eyes that help them see and detect movements around them.
Jumping spiders are somewhat unique because they have the ability to tilt their head back and forth. With this ability, they are able to get a better view of what is going on around them.
Because of the way they tilt their head, it appears as though they are trying to be social and this is one of the reasons why people think jumping spiders are friendly.
6. Jumping Spiders Are Exterminators
Another fun fact about jumping spiders is that they can be great at controlling pests.
That is why it is best to leave them alone and not kill them. They can take care of pesky pests in your house and in your garden.
They will kill and eat most types of insects that do damage to your garden, so they are like little helpers.
7. Jumping Spiders Are So Colorful
Some jumping spiders have standard colors like black and brown with some tiny stripes and dots.
But there are many different jumping spider species and some of them can have a variety of vibrant and beautiful colors.
Their colors can be red, blue, green, orange, yellow, brown, white, or all black – among many other colors.
Some rely on their colors for camouflage in their environment so it is easier to sneak up on prey and hide from predators.
8. Jumping Spiders Have Incredible Eyes
Another fun fact about cute jumping spiders is that they have incredible eyes and are able to distinguish patterns more easily than most other living things.
Their eyes are like tiny little binoculars that help the spiders identify prey and potential mates.
Their eyes have muscles attached to their retinas and they are able to swivel them around to get a better view.
9. Jumping Spiders Are Carnivores
Although they are small and cute, Jumping spiders are carnivores and excellent hunters!
They are strong and stout and can pounce on their prey with ease.
They eat a variety of different insects and some will even have a little nectar here and there.
Others will be cannibals and eat their own kind, but they are still the cutest!
10. Jumping Spiders Are Venomous
It is a fact that jumping spiders are indeed venomous little spiders.
However, their venom is not dangerous to humans and typically won’t require any treatment if they bite you.
Their bite is no worse than any insignificant insect bite or sting.
But don’t pick them up unless they are really comfortable with you, because they may bite in that instance.
Even if they do though, there’s nothing to worry about and little to no treatment needed for the bite.
11. Jumping Spiders Have a Big Family
Little cute jumping spiders can be found across the globe in almost every region except for the extreme cold.
There are over 6,000 different species of jumping spiders that we know about.
Having more than 6,000 species around the world gives them the number one spot for spiders, making them the largest group of spiders in the world.
12. Jumping Spiders Are Webless Spiders
Okay, so this one is kind of a fact. They do use webbing but they don’t use webs for hunting.
Unlike other spiders, jumpers hunt on surfaces and don’t build webs to catch their prey.
They rely on their skills as great hunters to pounce on their prey and dig their fangs in to release their venom.
They don’t need webs to catch their prey and only use small strands as tethers when they jump in the air to help them land if they miss their prey.
13. Jumping Spiders Can Be Trained
A fun fact is that scientists were able to train a regal jumping spider to jump on command.
They did this experiment to get a better understanding of how they jump and the mechanics behind their jumps.
So, you can train a jumping spider…well, if you are a scientist.
14. Jumping Spiders Have Great Eyesight + Hearing
Another fun fact about jumping spiders is that not only do they have great eyesight, but they also have great hearing and may be able to hear you from ten feet away.
Even though they don’t have ears or eardrums, they have tiny little hairs that take in sound vibrations and send the signals back to the spiders’ brains.
So, try not to whisper too many secrets to your friends around these little cute and adorable spiders.
They may hear it and go tell all their friends and then your secret is out.
15. Jumping Spiders Can Mimic Ants
The last fun fact for today is that some cute jumping spiders can mimic insects to disguise themselves from predators and prey.
Myrmarachne melanocephala, commonly referred to as ant-mimicking spiders, are found throughout countries from Pakistan to Indonesia.
Their longer and narrower waists are different from most other jumping spider species, giving them the ability to look more like ants when they need a disguise.
Recap
I hope you enjoyed this article about cute jumping spiders and the fun and amazing facts associated with them.
I am biased and little cute jumping spiders are my favorite spiders, but if you have a different spider species you’d like me to cover on this site, please let me know by using our contact page and suggesting a topic there.
If you enjoyed this article and want to check out more about spiders, give other spider articles a try.
