Two ballus chalybeius met and both began to lift there enlarged legs, and size each other up, before the smaller of the two running away. Neither harmed each other, but just seemed to be territorial. Is this common for jumping spiders?
yep. Not sure of that particular species, and only speaking from experience of NZ salticids, but generally speaking they are territorial. I have two female Maratus griseus that live on my kitchen windowsill that routinely patrol the border zone at the centre… very entertaining :) Could also be a males squaring up kinda thing too, if there is a female nearby.
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Strangely both were females, quarreling.
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I also find watching them very entertaining, but quite difficult, considering they are 5mm long!
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I have one patrolling my laptop and desk. No point in trying to convince that one to patrol another patch then.
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You have to let it know that it is YOUR territory, by jumping on your desk and keyboard… Abdomen waggling may be required…
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Is it normal for jumping spiders to stay in one spot like that? How long is their lifespan? I have been seeing the same one (at least the same species, although I’m not certain it’s really the same individual) in the same spot for quite a while now. Also, might they inherit the spot from a parent? Or perhaps just beat out a competor? Before this spider the spot had another one of different color/markings but still same species according to inatters.
It depends on the genus/species, but generally they don’t make capture webs but rather hunt prey, dragging a silk thread everywhere they go as a bungy cord / swing rope … literally spiderman style! They spin a silk retreat to call base, especially females for securing eggmasses. They will change locations for retreat as they grow, but by the time they are adult, they pretty much set up base in the one spot, unless ejected by a competitor or an iNatter upsets it’s retreat, eg opening up folded leaves to see what’s inside… or pulling back leaf litter and disturbing the whole area…
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I remember finding a little jumping spider on a picnic table while camping last summer. It seemed to like hiding under things, so I made a tiny lean-to with a woodchip and a twig and the spider went and hid in the lean-to. I spent a day on a hike and when I checked the next day the spider was still living in the lean-to. So I imagine that they can have a favourite spot.
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It’s Colonus hesperus. The first one in the spot was smaller and shiny (I’m assuming that means male) but then about 8 months ago I began seeing a drab-color one there instead, which was very tiny at first and now has grown (again assuming it’s the same individual) to larger than the male. I’m guessing that means female. I sit in “her” chair to eat my lunch every day, and she seems happy to climb all over my lunch bag/water bottle or even my person.
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