Jan 4, 2010, 16:47 PM by User Not Found

Jan 1st, 2010 by Karthik

Here come the Salticids to herald in the New Year and to give you all a jumpstart into 2010!

Not all spiders build a web and wait patiently to trap their meal! There are some that pounce on their prey and rely on their keen eyesight to catch their prey. These are the jumping spiders.

 

The jumping spiders are wary of anything that happens in their vicinity. One can observe them respond even to slight movements close to them. The jumping spiders are able to do this due to the four pairs of simple but special eyes they possess. One pair is large, pointing forward, giving it a sharp sight. In fact, at a distance of about one foot, these spiders can distinguish between prey, predator, etc. Alongside is one other pair that is smaller and pointing forward. The other two pairs are placed further behind and are strategically located.

Jumping spiders are active hunters. Once a potential prey (mainly insects) has been identified, they advance slowly and stealthily towards it. When within jumping distance, they jump on the prey and grab it. Before they jump, they secure a strand of silk as a lifeline to the substrate. This way they can crawl up to safety if the jump is a failure!