How big can a zebra jumping spider get?
Females range from 4.3–6.4 mm (0.17–0.25 in) in length; males are 4–5.5 mm (0.16–0.22 in) in length. Figure 1. Female zebra jumper. This individual has reddish hairs on the opisthosoma.
Is zebra spider poisonous?
Zebra jumpers are not poisonous to humans, but their bite can be painful. In most cases, the pain will go away after a few hours. However, some people may experience more serious reactions, such as swelling and redness.
zebra spider habitat
Zebra spiders are widespread across Europe, North America, and North Asia, where they are found throughout the Holarctic. This species is naturally associated with open habitats such as rock faces, shingle beaches and occasionally the trunks of trees.
As its name suggests, the zebra spider has the familiar black-and-white stripes of a zebra, making it very distinctive. It can be found stalking its prey on rocks, trees and walls, particularly in gardens.
Statistics
Body length: 6-7mm
About
The zebra spider is a common jumping spider that stalks and leaps on its prey – it can jump up to 10cm, over 14 times its own body length! Look for it on walls, rocks and tree trunks in the sun, particularly in gardens and sometimes in houses. Males attract females through a complex courtship dance, moving around the females with their legs waving in the air. The females create a silk cocoon in which the eggs are protected, and guards the nest until the young hatch.
How to identify
The zebra spider is a small spider, with a relatively large body. It is so-named for its black-and-white stripy pattern. There are several very similar species of jumping spider in the UK, which can be hard to tell apart; as a group, however, they are very distinctive.
How did I get zebra jumping spiders?
These spiders thrive throughout the U.S. Residents may find zebra jumping spiders clinging to walls on the sunny side of the house or near doors and windows. These arachnids frequently deposit their egg sacs under eaves or windowsills. Zebra jumping spiders prefer the outdoors but sometimes venture into homes by accident or while following prey.
How serious are zebra jumping spiders?
Zebra jumping spiders do not build webs to catch prey. When it comes to hunting for food, they are like cats since they hunt down and pounce on their prey instead of capturing their food in a web. However, the quick movements of a zebra jumping spider are often startling for unsuspecting homeowners who unknowingly get near and cause them to quickly flee.
Are They Dangerous?
These spiders are not aggressive biters and will not bite unless handled or otherwise threatened. They do produce venom, which is used to subdue their prey, but this spider’s venom is likely only to cause minimal injury to humans since the spiders are so small.
What are the signs of a zebra jumping spider infestation?
A zebra jumping spider sighting is usually the first indication of an infestation, although the number of adult spiders seen will likely be few in number.
Appearance
Abdomen: The abdomen has white or light-colored hairs arranged in opposing stripes with a solid band of white around the front part of the abdomen.
Body: The cephalothorax (united head and thorax) on the zebra jumping spider has a white lateral band of hairs with additional white hairs and lustrous scales that appear near the region of their eyes.
Eyes: As with other species of jumping spiders, they have eight eyes with the center two eyes appearing large and prominent, thus providing the jumping spider group with possibly the best vision of any other group of arthropods.
Size: Females and males are similar in size, ranging from about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long.
Characteristics: Females are often lighter in color than the males. Males have very large, dark fangs that project forward, unlike most other spider species whose fangs extend down.
The zebra spider, also known as the zebra back spider, is a species of jumping arachnid found across the Northern Hemisphere. It gets its name from the black and white stripes on its body. Although it is a poisonous insect, its venom does not have enough strength even if it bites a human.
Physical Description
Size: Males are 0.20-0.24 inches (5-6 millimeters), and females grow to be around 0.20-0.35 inches (5-9 millimeters).
Color: They have a black body with shiny stripes of white hairs.
Distribution
These jumping spiders are common throughout Europe, North America, Britain and, northern Asia.
Habitat: Where do they live
Zebra spiders live near human populations. They are commonly seen on fences, walls, and window sills. They also inhabit meadows, gardens, and forests.
Behavior
They are a terrestrial species.
These spiders lead a solitary lifestyle.
They are among the few spider species that do not build webs.
Zebra spiders are diurnal and hunt during the daytime.
Diet: What do they eat
They feed on insects and have been seen hunting on mosquitoes and flies much larger than them. They locate their prey with their front eyes, and then meticulously stalk them, before moving in close enough to pounce.
Mating & Reproduction
The mating season for zebra spiders is in spring and early summer, and they breed once a year. Before mating, males perform a courtship dance that involves waving its front appendages (exclusive to males) called pedipalps and moving its abdominal region up and down. If the female likes the dance, mating occurs, which involves the male transferring sperm into the female organ known as epigyne.
Life-cycle
Females guard the hatchlings, and after the latter go through their second molt, they become independent of their mothers and live by themselves. Male zebra spiders reach sexual maturity before the females.
Lifespan
Information regarding the lifespan of these spiders in their natural environment is limited. However, they live for around 2 to 3 years in captivity, with females outliving males.
Communication
Zebra spiders communicate through visual, olfactory, chemical stimuli. They also use vibrations to perceive their environment.
Adaptations
The zebra spider is believed to have the best eyesight in the insect world, with four large forward facing eyes that give it excellent stereoscopic vision. The remaining four eyes are arranged in such a way that allows the spider to see around its body. This aids them both in catching prey and escaping predators.
They can jump as well they can by straightening the fourth, rearmost pair of legs suddenly. The velocity of the jump is estimated to be around 2.1-2.6 feet/second (0.64-0.79 meters/second).
The coloration of these spiders helps them stay camouflaged.
Interesting Facts
Their scientific name is a mixture of the Latin word ‘Salticus’ which means dancing, a reference to the zebra spider’s agility, and the Greek word ‘scenicus,’ meaning a decorative place or theatrical, referring to the showy coloration.
They are one of the few insects that show human awareness. If someone looks at them, they often raise their heads, and their behavior changes as well.
