Jumping spiders (Family Salticidae) get their name from the sometimes spectacular leaps they make when pouncing on prey or simply hopping about in the foliage. They are very small to medium sized spiders 3-15mm (1/8 -- 5/8") long. Their eight eyes are arranged in 3 rows - the first row near the midline contains the largest pair, which faces forward in the manner of predatory animals requiring binocular vision, and a second, smaller pair outboard of those, also facing forward and slightly upward. The second row of eyes is very mach smaller and facing upwards and only slightly forward. Our page on the bold jumping spider, Phidippus audax has many pictures showing the jumping spider's eye arrangement. The jumping spiders have the most acute eyesight of all spiders.

Salticids do not build webs to snare prey, they only spin small silken retreat webs under leaves, bark or twigs. Our page on the Phidippus princeps species shows a spider in one of these webs. When hunting, jumpers always trail a silken strand from their spinnerets. If they are disturbed, they will rapidly descend on this lifeline to the ground and out of sight, or if they miss their jump, they can climb the thread back to their previous perch. These little guys are very adept at hiding, and if they do not want you to see them, you won't. They always watch me very carefully when I'm photographing them, and almost always face me, which accounts for all the similar poses you'll see on our pages. You can find an extensive write-up on the family salticidae at The Tree of Life Website

I love the comb-like rows of hairs on this lovely spider's rear leg tibiae. Leucauge venusta

Stabilimenta are conspicuous lines or spirals of silk, included by many diurnal spiders at the center of their otherwise cryptic webs. It has been shown spider webs using stabilimenta catch, on average, 34% fewer insects than those without. However, webs with the easily-visible markings are damaged far less frequently by birds flying through the web. It is an evolutionary tradeoff the spider can influence every time it builds a new web. The inclusion of stabilimenta is influenced by many factors, including prey density and web location.  Read the scientific study at Behavioral Ecology magazine.

In any event, stabilimenta or no, a large Argiope planted firmly head-down in her web amongst tall weeds and grasses remains maddeningly invisible to man and beast. The black and yellow markings of the fat abdomen and striped legs function as camouflage much like the tigers' stripes do in the jungle - the geometric elements serve to break up the outline of the spiders' body and confuse the eye of the beholder into not recognizing the image. It is this principle upon which warships' hull camouflage was painted during the World Wars, with stark diagonal lines and shapes intended to keep an enemy from discerning the outline and identifying the size of the ship and the extent of its armaments.

I find watching the orb weavers fascinating; whether they are spinning or attacking prey or even just sitting, they provide just the right amount of dread and horror and creepiness. I think I like them so much more than other spiders because they are generally out there where I can see them, not  hiding in my shoe. I love the grisly spectacle of a huge Argiope attacking a wasp or grasshopper (and I confess to throwing not a few unfortunates into their clutches during photographic down time) and marvel at the evolutionary processes that resulted in these beautiful creatures and their stunningly efficient predatory style.