Observing a small dark greenish/brownish jumping spider, quite by accident found that they can jump backwards as well. I'm sure this is common knowledge among the folks out there, but I've never seen that, nor to my memory read about it. Looked to be about 2-300% of his body length in the two backwards jumps I observed.
Salticidae can jump backwards as well
- Thread starter kp513
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Tenodera
Arachnobaron
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- Sep 28, 2011
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I'd really like to see slow-motion video of that... And even if a behavior has been observed a thousand times, the first time YOU see it is still awesome!
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Keep watching. They have a huge repertoire of ballet steps.
I've got a jumper viewing station out the window over the roof of the porch. A favorite hangout for them. One day a youngish male was patrolling and now and then pausing to make a romance display. As I didn't see a female I guess he was just practicing. A while later he became transfixed on a fly and had edged up to look over the edge of a roof tile. Suddenly I get another jumper in my face. She was on the window frame above my head, jumped and rappelled on down to the roof to land just behind the male. He was in lala land for quite some time then backed up and bumped into her. The term dissembling madly fits. Straight up about 2 inches while turning 180 degrees, lands, backs up half way over the edge of the tile, zips sideways a couple of inches then a couple more so they were facing each other about 4 inches apart. I suppose she had been impressed and was hot to trot. She jumps forward to right in front of him. He burns rubber and backs up. Here she comes again. He jumps backwards and she jumps at the same time landing in front of him once more. His nerve gave out and he bolted for the edge of the roof while she just stood there, watching him go.
I've got a jumper viewing station out the window over the roof of the porch. A favorite hangout for them. One day a youngish male was patrolling and now and then pausing to make a romance display. As I didn't see a female I guess he was just practicing. A while later he became transfixed on a fly and had edged up to look over the edge of a roof tile. Suddenly I get another jumper in my face. She was on the window frame above my head, jumped and rappelled on down to the roof to land just behind the male. He was in lala land for quite some time then backed up and bumped into her. The term dissembling madly fits. Straight up about 2 inches while turning 180 degrees, lands, backs up half way over the edge of the tile, zips sideways a couple of inches then a couple more so they were facing each other about 4 inches apart. I suppose she had been impressed and was hot to trot. She jumps forward to right in front of him. He burns rubber and backs up. Here she comes again. He jumps backwards and she jumps at the same time landing in front of him once more. His nerve gave out and he bolted for the edge of the roof while she just stood there, watching him go.
Smokehound714
Arachnoking
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- Mar 23, 2013
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A common escape behavior in phidippus sp is to jump backwards into a freefall. I see it happen all the time when two jumpers bump into each other.
MatthewM1
Arachnoknight
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- Apr 27, 2013
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makes it easy to catch them on vertical surfaces, hold the catch cup below, touch the front with something and they drop right into the cup