Bronze jumper (Eris militaris)
The bronze jumper is a spider in the family Salticidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 2,189 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 45 states, most of all Virginia (276), Texas (226) and New York (188). Its observation records peak in April.
Eris militaris, known commonly as the bronze jumper or bronze lake jumper, is a species of jumping spider, belonging to the Salticidae family. It is found in the United States and Canada within both suburban and rural areas. The male and female of this species can be differentiated from their size or by the coloration on their cephalothorax and abdomen.
From Wikipedia: Eris militaris, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the bronze jumper poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the bronze jumper (family Salticidae) has venom for its prey, but it is not a widow or recluse, the two U.S. groups whose bites need medical attention.
Which states have the bronze jumper?
Records are spread over 45 states; the top three, Virginia, Texas and New York, hold 32% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | 276 | 2.4% | 10th of 176 |
| 2 | Texas | 226 | 0.8% | 23rd of 386 |
| 3 | New York | 188 | 3.0% | 7th of 149 |
| 4 | Maryland | 149 | 2.6% | 10th of 153 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 137 | 1.9% | 8th of 164 |
| 6 | Ohio | 95 | 1.4% | 19th of 332 |
| 7 | Washington | 89 | 2.2% | 9th of 157 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 75 | 1.5% | 11th of 149 |
| 9 | Minnesota | 73 | 2.4% | 7th of 145 |
| 10 | New Jersey | 73 | 3.2% | 4th of 127 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | 68 | 1.5% | 16th of 189 |
| 12 | Georgia | 62 | 0.9% | 27th of 186 |
| 13 | Vermont | 55 | 3.5% | 7th of 74 |
| 14 | Arkansas | 47 | 2.9% | 4th of 114 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 46 | 1.2% | 17th of 138 |
| 16 | Michigan | 45 | 1.9% | 14th of 122 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | 43 | 3.1% | 7th of 72 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 41 | 1.3% | 13th of 149 |
| 19 | North Carolina | 40 | 0.5% | 50th of 184 |
| 20 | Illinois | 39 | 0.2% | 73rd of 243 |
| 21 | Connecticut | 33 | 3.3% | 8th of 86 |
| 22 | Oregon | 32 | 1.1% | 15th of 88 |
| 23 | Maine | 31 | 3.3% | 7th of 297 |
| 24 | Alaska | 30 | 0.1% | 155th of 280 |
| 25 | Indiana | 29 | 0.7% | 32nd of 133 |
| 26 | Louisiana | 23 | 0.6% | 37th of 107 |
| 27 | Delaware | 21 | 1.0% | 26th of 71 |
| 28 | West Virginia | 16 | 2.1% | 13th of 90 |
| 29 | Alabama | 15 | 0.4% | 59th of 143 |
| 30 | California | 14 | 0.0% | 198th of 309 |
| 31 | Kentucky | 13 | 0.7% | 39th of 103 |
| 32 | Florida | 9 | 0.1% | 148th of 237 |
| 33 | Montana | 9 | 0.4% | 23rd of 75 |
| 34 | Colorado | 6 | 0.1% | 61st of 378 |
| 35 | Kansas | 6 | 0.4% | 48th of 94 |
| 36 | Rhode Island | 6 | 3.5% | 7th of 53 |
| 37 | Idaho | 5 | 1.0% | 20th of 56 |
| 38 | Missouri | 5 | 0.2% | 63rd of 117 |
| 39 | Iowa | 4 | 0.6% | 28th of 57 |
| 40 | Mississippi | 4 | 0.3% | 62nd of 117 |
| 41 | South Carolina | 4 | 0.2% | 76th of 121 |
| 42 | South Dakota | 1 | 0.5% | 22nd of 29 |
| 43 | Wyoming | 1 | 0.5% | 20th of 68 |
| 44 | North Dakota | 0 | — | — |
| 45 | Utah | 0 | — | — |
When is the bronze jumper seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the bronze jumper run mostly March through October, peaking in April with 20% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 4% of them.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in February (North Carolina) and latest in May (Massachusetts, Minnesota, Vermont and Wisconsin). The most common peak months are April and May, each shared by seven states.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | March through October | April | 272 |
| Texas | March through November | March | 220 |
| New York | April through October | May | 184 |
| Maryland | March through October | April | 149 |
| Pennsylvania | March through October | April | 133 |
| Ohio | April through October | May | 95 |
| Washington | April through October | May | 89 |
| New Jersey | March through November | April | 73 |
| Minnesota | May through September | September | 70 |
| Massachusetts | May through October | May | 68 |
| Oklahoma | April through November | April | 66 |
| Georgia | September through April | April | 62 |
| Vermont | May through October | September | 55 |
| Arkansas | April through December | September | 46 |
| Tennessee | March through October | October | 45 |
| Michigan | April through September | May | 44 |
| New Hampshire | April through August | July | 42 |
| North Carolina | February through September | April | 40 |
| Wisconsin | May through September | June | 35 |
| Connecticut | March through October | May | 32 |
| Oregon | April through October | May | 31 |
Where the bronze jumper is recorded in each state
Virginia
Virginia holds 276 licensed records, the 10th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly March through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Arlington County and Loudoun County. Next come Prince William County (9) and Montgomery County (5).
Texas
Texas holds 226 licensed records, the 23rd most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly March through November, peaking in March; most licensed records come from Dallas County, Tarrant County and Travis County. Next come Collin County (15) and Parker County (14).
New York
New York holds 188 licensed records, the 7th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New York run mostly April through October, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Tompkins County, Westchester County and Nassau County. Next come Rockland County (20) and Onondaga County (7).
Maryland
Maryland holds 149 licensed records, the 10th most recorded of 153 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run mostly March through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Frederick County, Montgomery County and Prince George's County. Next come Howard County (17) and Baltimore County (11).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 137 licensed records, the 8th most recorded of 164 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Pennsylvania run mostly March through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Bucks County, Montgomery County and Chester County. Next come Centre County (9) and Allegheny County (9).
Ohio
Ohio holds 95 licensed records, the 19th most recorded of 332 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly April through October, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Franklin County, Erie County and Cuyahoga County. Next come Richland County (7) and Wayne County (6).
Washington
Washington holds 89 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 157 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Washington run mostly April through October, peaking in May; most licensed records come from King County, Thurston County and Lewis County. Next come Pierce County (4) and Kitsap County (3).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 75 licensed records, the joint 11th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Oklahoma run mostly April through November, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Osage County, Oklahoma County and Tulsa County. Next come Marshall County (6) and Mayes County (6).
Minnesota
Minnesota holds 73 licensed records, the 7th most recorded of 145 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Minnesota run mostly May through September, peaking in September; most licensed records come from St. Louis County, Hennepin County and Stevens County. Next come Rice County (5) and Carlton County (5).
New Jersey
New Jersey holds 73 licensed records, the 4th most recorded of 127 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New Jersey run mostly March through November, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Hunterdon County, Middlesex County and Burlington County. Next come Mercer County (6) and Morris County (5).
Massachusetts
Massachusetts holds 68 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 189 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Massachusetts run mostly May through October, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Middlesex County, Barnstable County and Plymouth County. Next come Worcester County (7) and Bristol County (6).
Georgia
Georgia holds 62 licensed records, the 27th most recorded of 186 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Georgia run mostly September through April, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Clarke County, Gwinnett County and Cobb County. Next come Cherokee County (3) and Bartow County (3).
Vermont
Vermont holds 55 licensed records, the 7th most recorded of 74 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Vermont run mostly May through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Chittenden County, Windham County and Windsor County. Next come Orleans County (2) and Addison County (2).
Arkansas
Arkansas holds 47 licensed records, the 4th most recorded of 114 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Arkansas run mostly April through December, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Craighead County, Clay County and Mississippi County. Next come Crittenden County (4) and Poinsett County (3).
Tennessee
Tennessee holds 46 licensed records, the joint 17th most recorded of 138 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly March through October, peaking in October; most licensed records come from Knox County, Williamson County and Shelby County. Next come Blount County (3) and Washington County (3).
Michigan
Michigan holds 45 licensed records, the joint 14th most recorded of 122 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Michigan run mostly April through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Ingham County, Emmet County and Berrien County. Next come Midland County (3) and Clinton County (2).
New Hampshire
New Hampshire holds 43 licensed records, the 7th most recorded of 72 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New Hampshire run mostly April through August, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Rockingham County, Cheshire County and Merrimack County. Next come Grafton County (4) and Coos County (3).
Wisconsin
Wisconsin holds 41 licensed records, the 13th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Wisconsin run mostly May through September, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Kenosha County, Door County and Eau Claire County. Next come Oneida County (2) and Portage County (2).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 40 licensed records, the joint 50th most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly February through September, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Buncombe County, Currituck County and Mecklenburg County. Next come Cumberland County (2) and Henderson County (2).
Illinois
Illinois holds 39 licensed records, the joint 73rd most recorded of 243 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Illinois come from Champaign County, Coles County and Cook County. Next come Jo Daviess County (3) and Kankakee County (3).
Connecticut
Connecticut holds 33 licensed records, the 8th most recorded of 86 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Connecticut run mostly March through October, peaking in May; most licensed records come from New Haven County, Hartford County and Fairfield County. Next come New London County (4) and Middlesex County (3).
Oregon
Oregon holds 32 licensed records, the joint 15th most recorded of 88 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Oregon run mostly April through October, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Lane County, Multnomah County and Clackamas County. Next come Marion County (2) and Hood River County (1).
Maine
Maine holds 31 licensed records, the joint 7th most recorded of 297 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Maine come from Hancock County, Cumberland County and Aroostook County. Next come Somerset County (3) and York County (3).
Alaska
Alaska holds 30 licensed records, the joint 155th most recorded of 280 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Alaska come from Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Fairbanks North Star Borough and Southeast Fairbanks Census Area. Next come Matanuska-Susitna Borough (1) and Valdez-Cordova Census Area (1).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 115 | 5.3% |
| 2 | Arlington County | Virginia | 88 | 4.0% |
| 3 | Tompkins County | New York | 56 | 2.6% |
| 4 | King County | Washington | 48 | 2.2% |
| 5 | Dallas County | Texas | 37 | 1.7% |
| 6 | Tarrant County | Texas | 36 | 1.6% |
| 7 | Frederick County | Maryland | 33 | 1.5% |
| 8 | Montgomery County | Maryland | 27 | 1.2% |
| 9 | Prince George's County | Maryland | 26 | 1.2% |
| 10 | Clarke County | Georgia | 25 | 1.1% |
| 11 | Westchester County | New York | 25 | 1.1% |
| 12 | Bucks County | Pennsylvania | 24 | 1.1% |
| 13 | Chittenden County | Vermont | 23 | 1.1% |
| 14 | Nassau County | New York | 22 | 1.0% |
| 15 | Craighead County | Arkansas | 21 | 1.0% |
How recent are the bronze jumper records?
Most of what is known about the bronze jumper is recent: 94% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2023 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1930; the busiest year was 2025, with 481 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 5 | 0.2% |
| 1940s | 5 | 0.2% |
| 1950s | 2 | 0.1% |
| 1960s | 2 | 0.1% |
| 1970s | 1 | 0.0% |
| 1980s | 4 | 0.2% |
| 1990s | 7 | 0.3% |
| 2000s | 26 | 1.1% |
| 2010s | 221 | 9.8% |
| 2020s | 1,990 | 87.9% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 309 counties where the bronze jumper is most recorded, 173 are also top counties for the bold jumper, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Bold jumper | 173 |
| Nursery web spider | 168 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 166 |
| Dark fishing spider | 160 |
| Familiar jumping spider | 155 |
| Flea jumping spider | 128 |
| Orchard orbweaver | 127 |
| Spotted orbweaver | 125 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Salticidae with profiles here: Bold jumper, Familiar jumping spider, Zebra spider, Magnolia green jumper, Half-edged wall jumping spider and Twin-flagged jumping spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.