While enjoying the beautiful scenery at Inks Lake we stubbled upon this creature. This spider is not the largest spider I have ever seen but I found it very interesting because of it’s distinct white stripe. I later identified it as the Pantropical jumping spider. This spider originated in Asia but has spread the United States. It is often found on light colored buildings and it eats bugs that are attracted to light. I found this spider on a the side of building near the lake. This is a male spider which is distinct from the females of the same species. Pantropical jumping spiders eat several different arthropods and will vary it’s diet depending on what is available.
The jumping spider gets it’s name from the ability to jump from plant to plant hunting prey. While I find this a really cool adaptation, I am very glad I did not see it jump. I probably would have gotten a picture of it! My iNaturalist post is here.
References:
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/jumping_spiders.htm