Bold Jumping Spider Gatekeeper

This Bold Jumping Spider was patrolling the gate that separates Willowwood Arboretum and Bamboo Brook. Unlike this older picture, you can't see the iridescent green chelicerae (kih-LIH-sih-ree) on this Bold Jumping Spider, though I think you can see a little green around the mouth [1]. They also (usually) have a white-to-orange spot on the back of their abdomen [2], though I'd probably consider this more of a gold or dark yellow spot myself.

Although the average person would probably classify these spiders as "small", it's probably 1 of our larger jumping spiders. Some of our fishing spiders, grass spiders, and orbweavers can be quite a bit bigger though. I suspect they're considered to be pretty common by jumping spider standards, though it's possible I just see them more because of their larger size.

Despite having "bold" in their name, most of the time these spiders seem frightened by me and my camera. I'm sure that by jumping spider standards, I'm stupendously large and thus potentially dangerous, so perhaps discretion is the better part of valor when they encounter humans.

This Bold Jumping Spider was on the gate that was pretty close to those Greater Bee Flies I talked about yesterday. Unfortunately for the spider, those flies don't seem to land very often, and jumping spiders won't typically grab 1 out of the air. (Woe to the Greater Bee Fly that's caught on the ground though.)

May 8, 2023 between Bamboo Brook and Willowwood Arboretum
Photo 282305085, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

May 8, 2023 between Bamboo Brook and Willowwood Arboretum
Photo 282305107, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

[1] Some sources claim Bold Jumping Spiders have a reddish spot on their abdomen, but I've yet to see one that looks red.

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