Subject: Strange Bug
Location: Burlingame, CA, USA
March 25, 2017 10:18 am
Hello WTB!
I live in Burlingame, CA (near San Francisco) and I was trying to identify this bug on your web site but I haven’t been able to find it. At first I thought it was a spider. However, it has only six legs. The front two appendages don’t seem to be legs, but seemed to be antennae or maybe some sort of stinger. This bug was very aware of me, and as I got close to it, it would point its front antennae at me menacingly, which is why I thought they might be a stinger. Any clue as to what this might be? Thanks!
Signature: JM
Dear JM,
This is in fact a Spider and what you have mistaken for antennae are the first pair of legs on this Jumping Spider in the family Salticidae. Jumping Spiders do not build webs to snare prey. Rather they pounce on prey, often from a considerable distance, and they are such adept hunters because of their excellent eyesight. We will attempt a species identification for you.