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Jumping Spider (Salticidae)
Identify it, prevent it, and know when to call. A South Florida guide from Pro-Spray.
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What Is a Jumping Spider?
Jumping spiders don't spin webs to catch food. They stalk prey with excellent eyesight and pounce. The regal jumping spider is common in Florida and one of the largest jumpers in North America. They're curious, often turn to "look" at you, and help keep small insects down around the home.
How to Identify Them
Look for a compact, fuzzy spider with two big front eyes, moving in short, quick hops. They're active by day and are often seen on sunny walls.
Life Cycle
Males court females with a little dance, waving their front legs and showing off their shiny jaws. After mating, the female lays eggs in a silk retreat and stays to guard them. The spiderlings hunt from the start and molt several times before they reach adult size. In our warm climate you can find young and adults at almost any time of year.
Look-alikes and How to Tell Them Apart
- Wolf spider: larger and long-legged, hairy and brown with stripes; runs fast across floors and ground at night instead of hopping on sunny walls.
- Brown widow or southern black widow: smooth, shiny, round abdomen and a tangled web; they don't hop or stalk.
- Spiny orb-weaver: small, hard, spiky shell, sitting in the middle of a round web.
- Small "fuzzy" spiders indoors: if it has big front eyes and hops, it's almost certainly a jumper.
Where They Live Around South Florida Homes
Sunny exterior walls, window sills and screens, pool cage frames, fences, mailboxes, grills and patio furniture. Indoors they usually stay near windows and sliding doors, where insects gather toward the light.
When to Call a Pro
You don't need to call for one jumping spider. Call if you're seeing many spiders of different kinds around the house, which usually means plenty of insects for them to eat, or if you find a spider you can't identify near where children play.
Signs of Jumping Spiders
- A single fuzzy spider hopping on window frames or the lanai
- Small silk retreats in window corners, under furniture or in folded items
Is it dangerous?
- Harmless
Harmless; they hunt other insects.
Prevention Tips
- Seal gaps around windows and doors and keep screens in good shape.
- Gently move a jumper outside in a cup if you'd rather not have it indoors.
- Cut down the small insects they hunt by turning off porch lights at night.
How Pro-Spray Helps
Jumping spiders aren't a reason for treatment on their own. If you're seeing a lot of spiders, it usually means there are plenty of insects for them to eat. At your request, we can sweep webs and silk retreats and do perimeter work around windows, doors and eaves as part of regular service, which also cuts down the insects that feed them. Our Bug Free Guarantee: If pests come back between visits, so do we, at no extra cost.
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+ FREE inspection
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do jumping spiders bite?
Are jumping spiders good to have around?
Why does the spider seem to watch me?
Reviewed October 2026 by Pro-Spray's family-run team
Pests don't wait.
Protect your home today.
Get $50 OFF your first pest service and a FREE inspection & estimate. Ongoing protection is $125 quarterly (about $42/month), with no contracts and no cancellation fees.
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