Canopy jumping spider (Phidippus otiosus)
The canopy jumping spider is a spider in the family Salticidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 305 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 20 states, most of all North Carolina (88), Virginia (61) and Florida (27). Its observation records peak in October.
Phidippus otiosus is a species of jumping spider that is found in southeastern North America. It is primarily a tree-living species. Females reach a body length of about 16 mm (0.63 in).
From Wikipedia: Phidippus otiosus, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the canopy jumping spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the canopy jumping spider (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 canopy jumping spider?
Records are spread over 20 states; the top three, North Carolina, Virginia and Florida, hold 58% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | 88 | 1.1% | 25th of 184 |
| 2 | Virginia | 61 | 0.5% | 45th of 176 |
| 3 | Florida | 27 | 0.2% | 68th of 237 |
| 4 | Maryland | 23 | 0.4% | 55th of 153 |
| 5 | Delaware | 21 | 1.0% | 26th of 71 |
| 6 | Tennessee | 18 | 0.5% | 48th of 138 |
| 7 | Arkansas | 13 | 0.8% | 32nd of 114 |
| 8 | Georgia | 11 | 0.2% | 91st of 186 |
| 9 | South Carolina | 8 | 0.3% | 56th of 121 |
| 10 | Kentucky | 6 | 0.3% | 57th of 103 |
| 11 | West Virginia | 5 | 0.7% | 30th of 90 |
| 12 | Ohio | 4 | 0.1% | 124th of 332 |
| 13 | Illinois | 3 | 0.0% | 230th of 243 |
| 14 | Mississippi | 3 | 0.2% | 72nd of 117 |
| 15 | New Jersey | 3 | 0.1% | 95th of 127 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 3 | 0.0% | 128th of 164 |
| 17 | Texas | 3 | 0.0% | 279th of 386 |
| 18 | Missouri | 2 | 0.1% | 82nd of 117 |
| 19 | Alabama | 0 | — | — |
| 20 | Oklahoma | 0 | — | — |
When is the canopy jumping spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the canopy jumping spider run mostly March through November, peaking in October with 25% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 7% of them.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in March (North Carolina) and latest in April (Virginia). Each of these states peaks in a different month: September in Virginia and October in North Carolina.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | March through October | October | 87 |
| Virginia | April through November | September | 61 |
Where the canopy jumping spider is recorded in each state
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 88 licensed records, the 25th most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly March through October, peaking in October; most licensed records come from Durham County, Orange County and Currituck County. Next come Wake County (10) and Buncombe County (7).
Virginia
Virginia holds 61 licensed records, the 45th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly April through November, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Virginia Beach and Prince William County. Next come Chesapeake (5) and Norfolk (5).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham County | North Carolina | 19 | 6.2% |
| 2 | Orange County | North Carolina | 18 | 5.9% |
| 3 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 13 | 4.3% |
| 4 | Currituck County | North Carolina | 11 | 3.6% |
| 5 | Wake County | North Carolina | 10 | 3.3% |
| 6 | Virginia Beach | Virginia | 10 | 3.3% |
| 7 | Buncombe County | North Carolina | 7 | 2.3% |
| 8 | Prince William County | Virginia | 7 | 2.3% |
| 9 | Dare County | North Carolina | 5 | 1.6% |
| 10 | Chesapeake | Virginia | 5 | 1.6% |
| 11 | Norfolk | Virginia | 5 | 1.6% |
| 12 | Richmond | Virginia | 3 | 1.0% |
| 13 | Cumberland County | North Carolina | 2 | 0.7% |
| 14 | Mecklenburg County | North Carolina | 2 | 0.7% |
| 15 | Robeson County | North Carolina | 2 | 0.7% |
How recent are the canopy jumping spider records?
Most of what is known about the canopy jumping spider is recent: 94% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2022 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1920; the busiest year was 2025, with 48 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 1 | 0.3% |
| 1940s | 2 | 0.6% |
| 1960s | 3 | 0.9% |
| 1980s | 1 | 0.3% |
| 2000s | 1 | 0.3% |
| 2010s | 61 | 19.1% |
| 2020s | 251 | 78.4% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 30 counties where the canopy jumping spider is most recorded, 17 are also top counties for each of the first three spiders in the table below; no other spider shares more. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Arabesque orbweaver | 17 |
| Brilliant jumping spider | 17 |
| Familiar jumping spider | 17 |
| Basilica orbweaver | 16 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 16 |
| Magnolia green jumper | 16 |
| Dark fishing spider | 15 |
| Parson spider | 15 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other species of the genus Phidippus with profiles here: Bold jumper, Brilliant jumping spider, Putnam's jumper, Johnson jumper, Grayish jumping spider, Whitman's jumping spider and Apache jumping spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.