Pseudeuophrys lanigera

About

Curious House Jumping Spider

House Jumping Spiders, or Wooly Wall Jumping Spiders ("Wollige Mauerspringspinne") in German, are very common in households all around Europe. Being only up to 3-4mm (male) and 5mm (female) small, they are usually overlooked when climbing the outer walls of buildings and living in and around greenhouses and apartments. Like most jumping spiders they only actually jump when startled - away from the person approaching - or excited, straight in the air.

Sam says

I adopted this species when I moved houses in 2019. One day I saw a tiny spec of dust moving across my desk. When I looked closer, it kind of looked like a spider but very small. As soon as I realized it was a tiny version of those cute jumping spiders I had seen online for years, but never in person, they had my full attention. And that's how I started reading up on spiders and started liking them. I learned that most spiders are as tiny as these and the bigger ones are somewhat outliers in their family of animals. Once you know they are all around you, you notice them more and more.

Like most tiny spiders, these ones are specialized on hunting the smallest insects to be found around my apartment and on the balcony. They live in crevices on the building's facade near the roof and like to come out when the sun has heated up the wall but isn't too bright anymore. Sometimes they hunt inside the hot foil greenhouse but most of the time that spot is already taken by Salticus scenicus. So they spend their time between herbs and marigold and feed on tiny flies and aphids. They are one of the few spider species on my balcony that hasn't nearly drowned themselves in the water dishes for bees and birds yet. They also seem to get along well with Philodromus dispar, as they might not share the same size of prey.

In summary it's safe to say that without my House Jumping Spiders I wouldn't have picked up spiders and insects as a hobby and probably wouldn't have gotten a better camera to focus on these small animals.

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