Subject: Blue jumping spider?
Geographic location of the bug: Topeka KS
Date: 11/18/2019
Time: 05:55 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: I saw a previous question about a blue jumping spider during my search. This little guy was at the storage units my mom works at. No altering to the photo at all. Not a hoax. I couldnt find much online about blue spiders. Coolest little spider I’ve seen. I think it’s a jumping spider?
How you want your letter signed: Brandy
Dear Brandy,
This is definitely a Jumping Spider in the family Salticidae, and it does appear to be quite bluish, but we cannot provide you with a species name.
This blue jumper looks a lot like the ones we get in the Carolinas. I think it’s a type of Bold Jumper like this one by Jim Petranka photographed for the Maryland Biodiversity Project. (Not my photo!) https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/view/6484 Photos of them seem rare for some reason as I’ve found precious few online to show my students in Japan. 🙁 If anyone has more photos of the cute, blue jumpers, please share! Especially photos showing their blue faces. <3