Zebra jumping spider


I have always liked jumping spiders.  First off, they don't build webs to catch their prey.  That means never walking inadvertently into one of their traps and involuntarily going into my spider dance, characterized by flailing limbs and occasional screaming.  Secondly, they are remarkable jumpers and fun to watch (as long as they don't land on me - this will likely trigger the spider dance).  

A jumping spider can jump 10 to 50 times its own length.  A small 10 mm spider could therefore jump from 10 cm (4 inches) to 50 cm (20 inches).  If we applied the same abilities to a six-foot human, that person could jump 60 to 300 feet.  They use this launching ability to capture prey, move to new hunting areas, and escape predation.  Then there is their employment of a drag line.  

Jumpers can only see about a foot in front of them.  Although they have excellent vision for an invertebrate, this means that jumping into space can be a dangerous venture.  So, before leaping, they attach a silken thread to the substrate they launch from and string the line behind them for safety.  They can also dangle from this and will ease themselves down until they reach a safe place to land.  Next time you find a jumping spider on the side of your house, tap your finger beside it and watch as it jumps into oblivion with a drag line following its descent.

People keep jumping spiders as pets.  They are easy to maintain and are trainable to some degree.  Many species of these arachnids are colourful (males especially) and have intricate courtship routines.  The peacock jumper is well known for this and well worth a look; click here to see for yourself (it's a great video!).  

A fun note: there is a cartoon jumping spider named Lucas that you can watch on Youtube.  Click here to see the videos.  Cute.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hang in there, things will get better.

Image
The Svendsen Family - Eric, Samuel, Leanne, Joshua (top row), Nora, Kathryn, Chanelle, Emma If I could go back, in my mind, to a day in my life when I was really down, it would be nice to be able to see into the future.  If could see things as they are today, with the many blessings that have been given to me, it would give me hope knowing that things wouldn't always be so discouraging.   The message here is we do not know what the future holds.  When things are bad, it is hard to raise your head out of the mire to see beyond the darkness.  There are no guarantees, of course, that things will be better, but I think it is true that fortunes ebb and flow as tides do.  The trick is to see beyond the low points and not be too haughty during the high ones.  I know that, at this moment, things are very good.  What the future holds is unknown, but low and high points are likely in the forecast.   This is why taking satisfaction from the moment is so important.  Instead of looking forward
Read more

Working out life's problems.

Image
Kathryn and Eric - together for 35 years. Whoever said life is easy hasn't been alive for very long.  Yes, although there may be times when everything sails along very nicely, the truth is that hardship is just around the corner, in both directions. The essence of the problem is that we are imperfect beings and we live in an imperfect world.  Bad things happen, both to us and those we care about.  We make decisions and take actions that others may oppose or be hurt by.  Even when, after much thought and research, we do what we think is best or right, our opinions or behaviours are not approved by those we love.  People get hurt, and sometimes the hurt leads to serious repercussions.   I can say that Kathryn and I are happily married.  But I can also say that our relationship has gone through difficult moments.  A great deal of the challenges we have faced have come about because of differences in opinion, differences in problem management, and difficulties in effective communicatio
Read more

Dastardly Dachshund Destroys Fabrics.

Image
Murphy's blanket (left) and Sterling's pant leg hem (right) - It took only a moment. We have had 5 dachshunds now, Murphy being the latest itineration, and they have quite a few characteristics in common.  This blog is about one of them - they love to chew things, and can completely destuff and destroy a dog toy in moments.  Of course, that behaviour isn't just restricted to toys.  Blankets, quilts, articles of clothing, really any kind of fabric - these dogs love to have their way with them.  And that usually means making holes. We restrict the types of fabric that Murphy tears apart into his dog blanket and his toys.  However, he can turn his destructive influence to other chewy temptations on occasion.  We usually catch him before any damage is done, but if he is left unattended and has an opportunity, he can render a garment unusable quickly.  This fact was thoroughly established this New Year's Eve. We had friends over to celebrate the turning over of the calendar.
Read more