Bold Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax)

Bold Jumping Spider
Phidippus audax

The Bold Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax) is widespread across most of the United States and parts of southern Canada and into Mexico. They are called jumping spiders because they make sudden leaps or jumps onto their prey. The spider at right was foraging on a Prickly Pear Cactus pad in April, 2002, in Kenedy Co., Texas and was photographed with a Canon EOS 1V and EF 180mm F/3.5 Macro on Fuji Velvia. The next shot shows another which was on some vegetation in the middle of the Guadalupe River, at Hunt, Kerr Co., Texas, in October, 2004. This was a digital shot with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender.