
Community identification
Jumping spider (likely a tan jumping spider)
Likely Platycryptus undatus
- Order & Family
- Araneae; Salticidae
- Size
- Adults are typically 6–12 mm long, with females generally larger than males.
Natural Habitat
Common on tree bark, fences, walls, windows, and other sunlit surfaces across North America. This individual appears near a silken retreat or egg-sac area.
Diet & Feeding
An active visual predator that hunts flies, mosquitoes, moths, and other small arthropods; it does not build prey-catching webs.
Behavior Patterns
Jumps accurately, often stalking prey by sight, and anchors itself with a silk dragline. It may shelter, molt, or guard eggs inside a dense silk retreat.
Risks & Benefits
Harmless to people and not medically significant; bites are rare and usually minor. It benefits households and ecosystems by consuming pest insects.