Skunk-like Jumping Spider

The Skunk-like Jumping spider

 There are a wide variety of Jumping Spiders. One of them has black with white stripes, the patterns resembles a skunk but it looks just like other jumping spiders: flat head and multiple eyes of which 2 are very prominent. It isn't called "Skunk-Like". First thought that came to my mind when I observed it through the eyepiece was a skunk. Hence, the name.

Sorry about the annoying black arc in the right side of the photo, it is the eyepiece. 

 

The Skunk-Like Jumping spider in early stage.

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All Jumping Spiders make an attempt to Jump at my Eyepiece, Like this one:

They have a drop of curiosity in their eyes which makes the spider- a minuscule insect- look like a playful pet; it is not, it just seems like it. The action of cleaning its legs, resembles the brown jumping spider a lot.

Jumping spider cleaning its legs

I hope you liked my short encounter with the spider. Now that you have seen it through the magical eyepiece, hopefully you have a different perception about the spiders too. Thanks for reading! Share and comment!

Gemstone Jumping spider

Blue Jumping Spider

Almost every time I visit the balcony, I find something new. Today I spotted a shiny insect on my night-blooming jasmine(Raat Raani). It was a jumping spider! This time in a peculiar shade. It had had striking patterns on it- Shiny blue with black stripes and white legs. It was a bit more slender compare to other Jumping spiders I have seen. It is not called "Gemstone" Jumping spider. But because of the mixed colors and luster, it looks like a gemstone. 

I put it on the floor with the leaf to observe it under the eyepiece. It was more aggressive and active than the usual jumping spiders. But all of them have one thing in common: they all move their fangs the same way and dart at my eyepiece. Of course, they would; it is so intimidating for them.

Jumping spider darts at the eyepiece

When I put it back on the night-blooming jasmine leaves, it clamped down on pests--white flies.

White flies(Trialeurodes vaporariorum)are tiny 1 mm long flies that dwell under the leaves. They feed on the sap of the leaves, draining out the nutrients. Nature takes care of itself; this time, with the spider.

Jumping spider eats white flies.

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Brown Jumping spiders

I encountered these spiders for the first time on my passion vine. They germinated on my birthday in 2017. By 2018 they had healthy leaves which secretes sweet juice. Ants feasted on this, but I was surprised to find a jumping spider feeding on it too. Nonetheless, it did.

Jumping spider on passion vine

Jumping spider on passion vine

 

The spider cleans its legs after meal, Watch till the end to estimate the size

Jumping spider eating ant mimicking spider

This photo is one of the best clicks I have taken. 

I spotted one Jumping spider who had hunted down another spider. The prey looks like an ant, but it is a spider called Ant mimicking spider. They can easily be identified because they move their front legs gracefully and are always alone unlike ants. They stay in a folded leaf covered in dense web, It sheds its skin and emerges as a longer spider with a protrusion in its head.

I have spotted smaller jumping spiders too. One of them curiously looked around when it was put on the floor, and ran towards the eyepiece.

Jumping Spider in Tulsi Plant

I found a jumping spider hiding in Tulsi plant too. I brought it to the floor and held a piece of mirror in front of it. the spider was surprised to see its reflection. After an eternal contemplation at its image, the spider hit the surface of the mirror and ran away from it.Whenever it saw the mirror again it frantically ran away. Basically, It cannot identify its own reflection.

Contemplating Spider

Jumping spider seeing its image

Jumping Spider intimidated by my giant finger

There is one thing I have see in common for all jumping spiders-- When they see the eyepiece lens, they jump towards it.

The jumping spiders build a web in leaves where they shed their skin and emerge bigger. The web can be seen in the beginning of video. The video was taken with the eyepiece and later zoomed out. Watch till the end to get an idea of the size.

I hope this has made your distaste for creepy spiders and bit lesser than before. Thank you for reading!

Be gentle.