I think most of you will have seen the great video by Jürgen Otto’s of the jumping spider Maratus speciosus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_yYC5r8xMI. It is coming up on six million views now. I really like some of the other ones that are set to music like the YMCA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYIUFEQeh3g which always makes me laugh.
However, I had never expected to see a jumping spider waving its legs at me in real life. Especially not on the dining room table.
I would like to point out here that it is only 5mm. and apart from scuttling very rapidly – it can jump.
Even a bad photograph is better than none as I am not sure whether I would have believed it myself since the famous Maratus spider is a native of Australia.
Working back with the help of Wiki I found out that there is a large family of Salicidae or Jumping spiders and there are members of this family present in Europe. My spider bears a striking resemblance to Saitis-barbipes which is present in France.
I feel rather favoured that he waved his fluffy orange legs at me before skilfully disappearing under the books and papers on the table.
a french garden 
I had not seen those videos; thanks.
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Glad you enjoyed them! Amelia
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They were great fun. My first time to see them, too.
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Great photos, and well found…but I’m glad it’s the other side of La Manche …at least for now!
BW
Julian
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I think they are quite cute and you have lots in the U.K.! http://britishspiders.org.uk/wiki2015/index.php?title=Category:Salticidae
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Does it sting?
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They bite their prey to immobilise it but as it is no bigger than 5 mm across it is no threat to me. In this case I was the hunter (with my lens) and it had no intention of being captured physically or otherwise. Amelia
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Perhaps you should open a zoo. You seem to be collecting critters of all sorts.
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The critters are opening my eyes to the life that has always been around me and I have never seen. Perhaps you will see his “cousin” the next time you are in the garden. Amelia
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You are right. The cousin showed up yesterday in a gardenia bush.
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Is that the same as deja vu?
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I’ve never seen one in person, but I’d like to.
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They are amazingly small but very cute. Amelia
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I’m not sure but I think I’ve seen them here too; I hadn’t thought how strange it was to see a spider jump!
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I am sure you must have similar ones. It is their waving arms that looks so amusing. Amelia
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I was bitten by a jumping spider when I was about 7. I screamed not because it really hurt but because I was so surprised. I think it jumped on me, I tried to flick it away and that’s when it bit me. 😀
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That could be a great conversation starter, “I remember the time…” Just joking, but it can’t have happened to too many people unless they are the really outdoorsy type. But it is a bit tough for a little girl. Has it left you with a dislike of spiders? My particular gripe against spiders was that they had at least four too many legs. Amelia
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I don’t mind spiders at all but that’s probably because I haven’t encountered any dangerous ones. But I do treat them with respect; once bitten, twice shy and all that. 😉
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Very good photos.You have a good camera.
I’ve never seen these spiders before;
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It was the first time I had ever seen one, so perhaps now that you know about them you might see them. Amelia
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What a fun encounter! I’m not generally a spider fan but would like to meet this one. You did well to get a photo of such a small and jumpy creature.
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I used to run a mile when I saw a spider but I feel different about them now. That video has changed my idea of spiders but I did not realise they were so small. I do not know how he managed to take such a sharp video. Close up the colours are beautiful and they look quite velvety. Mine was cute too but I was starting to wonder if I had lost it. Orange striped spiders? Amelia
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Not seen this one around here…. or not noticed?…..we have the far more common Zebra Spider…. same shape head end… longer body…. to me, they look like little tractors with their headlights [the large eyes] so close together. The Zetor tractor has the same profile radiator!
Great pix….
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Thank you. This is the only one of this type I have ever seen but I’ll be watching more closely now. Amelia
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I wonder if these jumping spiders are related to the camel spiders in the middle east.
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Actually, they are not too closely linked and are not true spiders. These jumping spiders belong to the order Araneae and the camel spiders belong in another order the Solifugae. It is always handy to see how they are classified as sometimes the same classifications result in similar looking individuals from the exterior and sometimes the reverse. The classification gives us the best idea of how closely they are related in evolutionary terms. Amelia
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Wow, thank you for this information. I learn somethung new everyday. Have a good one.
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I had no idea that they could wave or jump. Amazing little things
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They are so tiny but from the video you can see they have a complex mating ritual. The colours are fascinating too. Amelia
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