
Community identification
Jumping spider (likely a zebra jumping spider)
Salticus cf. scenicus
- Order & Family
- Araneae; Salticidae
- Size
- Adults are typically 5–7 mm long; females are usually slightly larger than males.
Natural Habitat
Found on sunlit walls, fences, tree trunks, rocks, and other vertical surfaces, commonly around buildings and gardens.
Diet & Feeding
An active visual predator that hunts flies, mosquitoes, small moths, and other tiny arthropods; it does not build prey-catching webs.
Behavior Patterns
Uses excellent vision and short leaps to stalk prey, often pivoting to face observers. It secures itself with a silk dragline and shelters or lays eggs in small silk retreats.
Risks & Benefits
Essentially harmless to people; bites are exceptionally rare and medically insignificant. It benefits gardens and homes by consuming pest insects.