Bold Jumper male, atypical audax

Description:

This is a male of "atypical audax", meaning his color pattern is not the most common. The markings on his abdomen are yellowish orange instead of the typical white. Adult males, the front pair of legs are the thickest and have long, conspicuous tufts of white and black hairs. The spider belongs to the genus Phidippus, a group of jumping spiders easily identified both by their relatively large size and their iridescent chelicerae. In the case of P. audax, these chelicerae are a bright, metallic green or blue.

Habitat:

Spotted at a constrution site in Duvall, Wa.

Notes:

Like most jumping spiders, P. audax tends to prefer relatively open areas to hunt in, as they actively seek and stalk prey and do not build webs to catch food. They do use webbing, however, only when laying eggs or to hide. They also use spider silk as a 'lifeline' when jumping for prey or evading predators. They are common in fields and grasslands, but are frequently seen on fences, exterior walls, and gardens as well. Many jumping spiders seem to prefer flat vertical surfaces, likely due to the fact that it enables them to spot and chase down roaming insects with ease.