Peacock jumping spiders are very well-known due to their colorful rainbow bodies and their amazing performances during mating rituals.
They know how to get down and you can find lots of YouTube videos showing them dancing their little legs off to impress the females of the species.
They are beautiful spiders that come in many different colors (especially the males), but you won’t get to see one of these cute spiders in the wild unless you live in Australia or China.
In this article, you will learn all about this amazing spider species – including where the species live, what their behavior is like, what they eat, and how they perform their mating rituals – among many other details.
Peacock Jumping Spider | Maratus Genus
Peacock jumping spiders (sometimes referred to as rainbow spiders) are a part of the Maratus genus and are some of the more colorful but smaller jumping spider species.
They are not widespread and can only be found natively in Australia and China. Since they are so small, they are not spotted in the wild very often so it is a rare occurrence if you were to happen to stumble upon one.
Description
Peacock jumping spiders get their name because of the vibrant colors on their abdomens that the males put on display in a mating ritual to win the females over and gain acceptance for mating.
When the males raise their abdomen flaps during the dance routine, the resemblance is that of a peacock tail and that is how they got their name.
They are small jumping spiders that are rare to see because they are so small.
However, you may be able to spot one due to their vibrant colors but they are pretty tiny and unless you are looking in detail, you probably won’t spot one.
Colors
Male peacock spiders have more vibrant colors and patterns on their bodies, compared to the females which are typically only a solid color.
Males have black and white hind legs along with iridescent patterns and various colorations on their abdomens that can be any shade of blue, cream, lilac, orange, purple, red, yellow, or white.
Females are not as colorful as males and are usually just a plain brown color, which makes them easily distinguishable from the males of the species.
Size
Peacock jumping spiders are on the smaller end of the jumping spider species.
Most only grow to a length between 4 to 6 millimeters as seen in the table below.
Females tend to be slightly bigger than males, but this species is generally small regardless of sex.
| Peacock Spider | Adult Male | Adult Female |
| Body Width Range | 4 to 5 (mm) | 4 to 6 (mm) |
| Body Width Average | 4 (mm) | 5 (mm) |
Female jumping spiders in many species tend to be bigger than the males, but as you can see with this genus, there isn’t a big difference between the male and female size.
Behavior
Peacock spiders can see the entire spectrum of light, including UV. They use their vision to spot prey from a distance and for mating purposes.
Females are able to spot the bright colors of males from a distance away using their superb eyesight.
They are not a highly sociable species and only communicate during mating season.
Females release pheromones from their abdomens to signal to the males when it is time to mate.
The males can pick up this signal through chemoreceptors.
Diet
Peacock jumping spiders eat small insects and other spiders. They are not picky eaters and their diets consist of any small insect they come across if they have the ability to subdue the prey.
They can subdue insects slightly bigger than them, but since they are so small already, their diets are limited to small insects around their own body size and length.
Hunting
Like other jumping spiders, peacock spiders are active hunters that rely on their eyesight and senses to hunt down and stalk prey.
They don’t use webs to catch prey and actively chase prey and jump on them to subdue and inject their venom into their prey.
Mating
Peacock jumping spiders are very popular due to their vibrant colors and how they put them on display during their mating dance (males).
To win the female over, the male will stick his abdomen in the air and wave it like he just doesn’t care in hopes this will attract the female so the mating process can begin.
However, if the female doesn’t like the dance or isn’t impressed, the male may become dinner for the female as the females do practice cannibalism on the males in the species.
Reproduction
After mating, females will lay their egg sacs that can consist of hundreds of baby spiders.
Once their young emerge from the egg sac a few weeks later, females will remain with the spiderlings and look after them until they are able to hunt for prey on their own.
Distribution
Peacock jumping spiders are very rare to see in the wild and are only found natively in Australia and Asia in temperate and semi-arid regions.
Habitat
Some peacock spider species only live in one type of habit while others can occupy many different habits that include deserts, dunes, grasslands, savannas, and scrub forests.
Lifespan
Peacock spiders typically only live to be around a year old. They have a shorter lifespan than some of the bigger jumping spiders that can live between 1.5 and 2 years of age on average.
Peacock Jumping Spider | Questions
Below are three common frequently asked questions and answers regarding peacock jumping spiders.
Do Peacock Jumping Spiders Make Good Pets?
Peacock jumping spiders are native to Australia and Asia, so if you live elsewhere in the world it may be difficult to obtain a peacock jumping spider as a pet.
You can check with local breeders in your area as some may have one for sale.
If you can find a pet jumping spider for sale, they can make great pets because they are easy to care for and do not require a lot of space, maintenance, or food.
They can be great for first-time pet owners or for people that just want a small pet that doesn’t live long and doesn’t require a lot of attention or space.
Do Peacock Jumping Spiders Bite?
Peacock jumping spiders do not bite unless they are defending themselves. They are not aggressive spiders toward humans and can be placed on your skin without any problems.
Biting only occurs when they are being hurt or if threatened, but aside from that, they are rather tame spiders that will walk along your arm and hands and shouldn’t bite unless you press down on them.
Are Peacock Jumping Spiders Poisonous?
Just like the other species of jumping spiders, peacock spiders are not any danger to humans.
Their venom is not potent to humans and shouldn’t cause any issues requiring medical attention.
However, if you are bitten by any spider, you should keep the area clean and sanitized and visit a medical professional if you experience any symptoms that get worse over time.
Most bites just have slight swelling, a little redness, and possibly some itching but shouldn’t cause any major pain or swelling – unless you have an allergic reaction.
As with all spiders – peacock spiders are not poisonous for humans or animals to eat – although I’m not sure why anyone would want to eat one of these cute little spiders.
Recap
Thank you for checking out this article about peacock jumping spiders.
As you have seen in the pictures of this article, these are some beautiful little spiders with amazing vivid colors and patterns that help them put on a show.
Due to their colors and patterns and the way the males raise their abdomen flaps when dancing, their ritual reminds people of a peacock and that is how their name came to be.
The males know how to put on a show for the females and it is no surprise that people enjoy watching these adorable spiders dance their tails off (if they had one).
However, not many people get to see these little dancers in action since they are only native to Australia and China.
But if you are looking to get one as a pet, you may be able to find a breeder in your local area (wouldn’t count on it though).
Not only are they rare to see but they are also popular due to their colors and habits, so they aren’t the most common jumping spiders on the pet market.
That’s all I have to say about peacock spiders. I hope you enjoyed this article as much as I enjoyed writing it!
If you did enjoy this article about peacock jumping spiders and want to learn more about jumping spiders and other spiders in general, check out our “spiders” section to view articles about other spider species.
