The Bravery of Jumping Spiders
Though I already knew jumping spiders to be inquisitive, brave and prone to leaping on camera lenses JUST at the right time, I'd never experienced two individuals quite as gregarious as the two I met at Lusitania Meadow on Monday, June 20.
While tracking biodiversity data for Earthwise Aware, I found a young spider on a small white aster-like flower (a fleasbane, I found out later). It was very active; it posed a few times before jumping to my lens, my hand, and even my appropriate "Lucas the Spider" t-shirt, so I had to resort to taking a video and uploading a still to try and identify the dorsal view.
Almost immediately after I confirmed the first spider had safely returned to its plant, I found another of my favorite jumping spiders, the white-jawed jumping spider, or what I lovingly call "Wilford Brimley" because their long front legs remind me of a big mustache. Wilford was even more curious than its plant-mate! I had to abandon my macro lens altogether, and even moved to a different bunch of fleasbane to continue my search for new insects because he kept jumping on me for a closer look.
Jumping spiders have actually become popular pets, though I've never wanted one myself. They don't live very long, and they're so small I would be worried about hurting them. After my encounter with these very curious creatures, I can see the charm. Some of them are like little puppies, wanting to get into everything. But overall, my position hasn't changed. I would rather keep them out there, in the world, so we can have these little moments when I come to visit them on their terms.
