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NO. 045Bold jumping spider illustrationIllustration · not shown at life size

Spiders / Spider

Bold jumping spider

Phidippus audax

AdultAn everyday search

Two big front eyes help this little spider look around. It jumps with a silk safety line.

A spider, and part of our tiny-neighbor collection.

Let’s look closer

Little clues

Three things to notice.

  1. Two huge forward-facing eyes.

  2. Eight legs.

  3. Jumps with a silk safety line.

Out in the world

Where to look.

Around southeastern Wisconsin

Sunny fences, walls, and plants.

When to look

Daytime, when jumping spiders hunt.

Look closely. Leave your tiny neighbor where you found it.

A closer look

One clue is just the start.

Its two biggest front eyes help it judge a jump. Young bold jumping spiders may have orange spots that later turn white.

A special find can be hard to spot without being biologically rare. Encounters depend on season and habitat.

Keep exploring

Meet the neighbors.

For curious grownups, too

Read a little further.

Original summaries, with references for deeper reading.