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Bold Jumping SpiderPhidippus audax

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Bold Jumping Spider profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 47 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Phidippus audax. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saystrailing a safety line of silk when it jumps
The source saysWhen bold jumping spiders jump, they release a line of webbing for security.Note: tagline
The page saysA daytime stalker
The source saysBold jumping spiders actively hunt during the daytime, but not at night.Note: tagline
The page saysGrasslands, prairies, open woodlands, old fields, backyards and gardens across North America
The source saysThe natural habitats of bold jumping spiders are are grasslands, prairies, and open woodlands. They also occur in agricultural habitat, especially old fields, and are frequently found in backyards and gardens.Note: stats.habitat; range in A-line below
The page saysA wide variety of insects and other spiders
The source saysThey eat a wide variety of insects and other spiders.Note: stats.diet
The page saysSneaks up and pounces on prey, trailing a silk safety line
The source saysIt then sneaks up on its victim and pounces on it. When bold jumping spiders jump, they release a line of webbing for security.Note: stats.superpower
The page saysNot Evaluated
The source saysIUCN Red List No special statusNote: stats.conservationStatus. ADW's 'No special status' anchors only that no Red List category applies. The prefetch (2026-10-11) found no Red List assessment for Phidippus audax (GBIF has no category, no Crossref assessment DOI), so no IUCN reference is cited.
The page saysThe forward-facing eyes in the middle of the front are the largest of the eight.
The source saysThe forward-facing anterior median (AM) eyes are the largest of all the eyes.
The page saysWhen a person looks at the spider, they are the ones that look back.
The source saysWhen a person looks at the spider, the AM eyes are the ones that look back at that person.
The page saysthis one hunts by day, not at night
The source saysBold jumping spiders actively hunt during the daytime, but not at night.
The page saysIt watches a target with its sharp vision, sneaks up on it and pounces.
The source saysactively watches its prey with its sharp vision. It then sneaks up on its victim and pounces on it.
The page saysThe powerful hind legs propel the leap.
The source saysThe powerful hind legs are responsible for propelling the spider into a leap.
The page saysFlies get a different angle of approach and a different jump distance than caterpillars.
The source saysapproaching flies from a different angle and jumping from a different distance than they do caterpillars
The page saysWhen a bold jumping spider leaps, it releases a line of webbing, and if the jump fails, the line catches the spider before it falls.
The source saysWhen bold jumping spiders jump, they release a line of webbing for security. This ensures that if a leap fails, there is a safety line that will catch the spider before it falls.
The page saysThe menu is a wide variety of insects and other spiders.
The source saysThey eat a wide variety of insects and other spiders.
The page saysIn Idaho, the species was seen preying on hobo spiders.
The source saysIn Idaho, P. audax was observed preying on hobo spiders.
The page saysThe male courts with a display particular to the species.
The source saysThere is a species-specific courting display
The page saysHe lifts certain legs and shows off his colored spots.
The source saysThe male lifts certain legs and shows off his colored spots.
The page saysIf the female approaches too rapidly, he jumps away.
The source saysIf the female approaches too rapidly, the male will jump away.
The page saysThe species occurs across North America, from southeastern Canada west to British Columbia and south to Florida, the Gulf Coast and northern Mexico.
The source saysoccur across North America from southeastern Canada west to British Columbia, and south to Florida, the Gulf Coast and northern Mexico.
The page saysIts natural habitats are grasslands, prairies and open woodlands, and it is frequently found in backyards and gardens.
The source saysThe natural habitats of bold jumping spiders are are grasslands, prairies, and open woodlands. They also occur in agricultural habitat, especially old fields, and are frequently found in backyards and gardens.
The page saysThe species is venomous, but its bite is not dangerous to humans.
The source saysThis species is venomous, but the bite is not dangerous to humans.
The page saysA female may produce as many as 6 clutches of eggs, each holding 30 to 170 eggs.
The source saysA female may produce as many as 6 clutches of eggs, each containing 30-170 eggs.
The page saysShe makes a silk shelter for the eggs and guards them until they hatch and the spiderlings disperse.
The source saysFemales make a silk shelter for their eggs, and guard them until they hatch and the spiderlings disperse.
The page saysDragonflies are known to attack it. Birds and lizards do as well.
The source saysDragonflies are known to attack them, and birds and lizards do as well.
The page saysFaced with an animal too large to eat, it flees quickly, jumping down and away or hiding in a small crevice.
The source saysBold jumpers will quickly flee from animals that are too large to eat, jumping down and away or hiding in small crevices.
The page saysA bold jumping spider watches its target, sneaks up on it and pounces
The source saysactively watches its prey with its sharp vision. It then sneaks up on its victim and pounces on it.Note: vibe.reason
The page saysits powerful hind legs propelling the leap
The source saysThe powerful hind legs are responsible for propelling the spider into a leap.Note: vibe.reason
The page saysa silk safety line trails behind
The source saysWhen bold jumping spiders jump, they release a line of webbing for security. This ensures that if a leap fails, there is a safety line that will catch the spider before it falls.Note: vibe.reason
The page saystags: agile
The source saysBold jumpers will quickly flee from animals that are too large to eat, jumping down and away or hiding in small crevices.

Source
02

Penn State Extension

Bold Jumper Spider. Penn State Extension.

The page saysJumping spiders require daylight to hunt their prey
The source saysjumping spiders require daylight to hunt their preyNote: the source's comparison with 'many other hunting spiders' is not stated on the page
The page saysThe bold jumping spider is black and hairy. Females measure 8 to 19 millimeters and males 6 to 13.
The source saysP. audax is a black, hairy spider measuring 8 to 19 millimeters for the females and 6 to 13 millimeters for the males.Note: ADW gives 8 to 15 mm for females; the body follows the 2025 Penn State page
The page saysIts genus holds the largest-bodied of the jumping spiders.
The source saysSpiders in the genus Phidippus are the largest-bodied of the salticids.
The page saysWhite, yellow or orange spots mark the top of the abdomen, and they are orange on younger spiders.
The source saysThere is a pattern of white, yellow, or orange spots on the top of the abdomen (orange on the younger spiders)
The page saysfrequently have an iridescent green hue
The source saysthe chelicerae frequently have an iridescent green hue
The page saysMales have "eyebrows," tufts of hairs over the eyes.
The source saysThe males have "eyebrows," or tufts of hairs over the eyes.
The page saysIt can be found on windowsills, tree trunks and deck railings in daylight.
The source saysThey can be found on windowsills, tree trunks, and deck railings; under stones; and in other locations during daylight hours.
The page saysIt overwinters nearly mature, then becomes adult in April and May.
The source saysThese spiders overwinter as nearly mature, or penultimate, individuals. They mature into adults in April and May
The page saysIt is a shy spider that retreats from people, and if it is handled it generally does not bite.
The source saysBold jumpers are shy spiders that retreat from humans when approached. If handled, they generally do not bite.
The page saysWhen a bite does happen, minor pain, itching, swelling and redness may last one to two days.
The source saysWhen bites occur, minor pain, itching, swelling, and redness may persist for one to two days.

Source
03

Menda et al. 2014

Menda et al. (2014). Visual Perception in the Brain of a Jumping Spider. Current Biology.

The page saysfrom a spider family whose forward-looking resolution beats every insect's
The source saysforward-looking spatial resolution surpassing that of all insectsNote: tagline; Menda's abstract is about salticids as a family, so the tagline scopes it to the family
The page saysbelongs to a family that sees through four pairs of eyes
The source saysSalticids perform these tasks with information from four pairs of functionally specialized eyes
The page saysIn jumping spiders, forward-looking spatial resolution surpasses that of all insects and even some mammals
The source saysforward-looking spatial resolution surpassing that of all insects and even some mammals
The page saysprocessed by a brain roughly the size of a poppy seed
The source saysprocessed by a brain roughly the size of a poppy seed
The page saysIn jumping spiders, high-acuity and motion vision are processed by different pairs of eyes.
The source sayshigh-acuity and motion vision are processed by different pairs of eyes

Source
04

Spano, Long & Jakob 2012

Spano, Long & Jakob (2012). Secondary eyes mediate the response to looming objects in jumping spiders (Phidippus audax, Salticidae). Biology Letters.

The page saysThe principal eyes track targets with their movable retinae, while the immobile anterior lateral eyes have a larger field of view and lower resolution.
The source saysa pair of principal eyes track targets with their movable retinae, while the immobile anterior lateral (AL) eyes have a larger field of view and lower resolution

Source
05

Vickers et al. 2014

Vickers et al. (2014). Scavenging throughout the life cycle of the jumping spider, Phidippus audax (Hentz) (Araneae: Salticidae). Journal of Arachnology.

The page saysin a lab study of 600 spiderlings split into eight treatments, it could survive solely on dead prey, but at significantly lower survival rates and with longer instar durations (the time spent between molts) than spiders fed live prey
The source saysWe separated 600 spiderlings into eight treatments ... P. audax can survive solely on a diet of dead prey, but at significantly lower survival rates and with longer instar durations than spiders fed on live prey.

Source
06

Freed 1984

Freed (1984). Foraging behaviour in the jumping spider Phidippus audax: bases for selectivity. Journal of Zoology.

The page saysIn lab tests, spiders pursued large insects at significantly slower rates (more cautiously) than small ones.
The source saysspiders pursued large insects at significantly slower rates (i.e. more cautiously) than small insects

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.