Bold Jumper

The bold jumper, or daring jumping spider (Phidippus audax), is a jumping spider of the family Salticidae with white spots on its abdomen, one especially prominent, and iridescent chelicerae, along with the large eyes and strong stereoscopic vision typical of the family, used for hunting and choosing mates. It is native to North America, widespread across the United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico, and has been introduced to Hawaii, the Nicobar Islands, the Azores, and the Netherlands; it lives in grasslands, chaparral, open woodlands, and farmland in temperate climates. It is a solitary hunter that builds no web, preying on insects and other arthropods such as caterpillars, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and other spiders. It is one of the most common spiders in its range, is frequently found near humans, and rarely bites; in 2021 New Hampshire named it the state spider.