The Missus trapped this critter as it was jumping across the dining room table while she was completing some paperwork. For it's diminutive size it was making some spectacular leaps and she eventually trapped it under a adult beverage highball glass.At first glance I thought it was a flea; but upon closer examination with my iPhone camera it was revealed to be a small spider. Similar to others I've seen around the kitchen or bathroom sink recently.
A Google Gemini search reveals this to be a Jumping Spider. Meet the Tan Jumping Spider - Platycryptus undatus - reported to be common in the Midwest.
Buddha would approve of our decision not to kill this critter as quickly as we would the nasty Asian beetles thawing-out recently as this arachnid is harmless to people and an active hunter of flies, gnats and mosquitoes. Furthermore, relative to other spiders they're endowed with excellent vision, complex brains and are known to be curious about humans and will track your movements with their large front eyes. Yup, if you pay us a visit you may be watched.
They don't construct webs preferring to actively hunt and pounce-upon their prey. Nevertheless, while jumping they sometimes deploy a single strand of silk that serves as a safety tether. Spider-Man would approve.
I haven't spotted these in large numbers as they don't live in colonies and since they don't bite and neither of us have any spider phobias maybe they'll keep the fruit flies in check around the box wine and kitchen compost container. If they're bothersome they're easily-enough moveable outside after it warms-up. A simple-enough mechanism to get rid of a new roommate if things don't work out...
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