Flea jumping spider (Naphrys pulex)
The flea jumping spider is a spider in the family Salticidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 1,474 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 35 states, most of all New York (144), Oklahoma (144) and Virginia (109). Its observation records peak in June.

Is the flea jumping spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the flea 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 flea jumping spider?
Records are spread over 35 states; the top three, New York, Oklahoma and Virginia, hold 27% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 144 | 2.3% | 11th of 149 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 144 | 2.8% | 6th of 149 |
| 3 | Virginia | 109 | 0.9% | 27th of 176 |
| 4 | Ohio | 107 | 1.5% | 15th of 332 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 97 | 1.3% | 14th of 164 |
| 6 | Indiana | 95 | 2.1% | 9th of 133 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 82 | 1.8% | 12th of 189 |
| 8 | Texas | 78 | 0.3% | 73rd of 386 |
| 9 | Maryland | 74 | 1.3% | 18th of 153 |
| 10 | Minnesota | 56 | 1.9% | 13th of 145 |
| 11 | Illinois | 55 | 0.3% | 53rd of 243 |
| 12 | New Jersey | 47 | 2.1% | 12th of 127 |
| 13 | Georgia | 37 | 0.6% | 41st of 186 |
| 14 | Michigan | 37 | 1.6% | 19th of 122 |
| 15 | North Carolina | 37 | 0.4% | 55th of 184 |
| 16 | Tennessee | 31 | 0.8% | 32nd of 138 |
| 17 | Louisiana | 30 | 0.7% | 26th of 107 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | 27 | 2.0% | 13th of 72 |
| 19 | Kansas | 25 | 1.5% | 14th of 94 |
| 20 | Alabama | 23 | 0.6% | 40th of 143 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 23 | 0.7% | 33rd of 149 |
| 22 | Arkansas | 16 | 1.0% | 29th of 114 |
| 23 | Missouri | 15 | 0.6% | 32nd of 117 |
| 24 | Vermont | 15 | 1.0% | 24th of 74 |
| 25 | Florida | 12 | 0.1% | 129th of 237 |
| 26 | West Virginia | 10 | 1.3% | 18th of 90 |
| 27 | Kentucky | 8 | 0.4% | 51st of 103 |
| 28 | Maine | 8 | 0.9% | 28th of 297 |
| 29 | Connecticut | 7 | 0.7% | 30th of 86 |
| 30 | Delaware | 7 | 0.3% | 55th of 71 |
| 31 | Iowa | 5 | 0.7% | 22nd of 57 |
| 32 | South Carolina | 4 | 0.2% | 76th of 121 |
| 33 | Nebraska | 3 | 0.2% | 57th of 71 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | 3 | 1.8% | 15th of 53 |
| 35 | Mississippi | 1 | 0.1% | 90th of 117 |
When is the flea jumping spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the flea jumping spider run mostly March through August, peaking in June with 24% of them. Almost none are from December to February.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in February (Texas) and latest in May (Minnesota). The most common peak month is June, shared by Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York and 2 more.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | March through August | June | 142 |
| Oklahoma | March through September | May | 138 |
| Ohio | April through September | May | 107 |
| Virginia | March through August | May | 107 |
| Pennsylvania | March through August | June | 88 |
| Massachusetts | April through September | June | 82 |
| Indiana | April through July | June | 81 |
| Texas | February through August | April | 77 |
| Maryland | March through August | June | 74 |
| Minnesota | May through August | May | 55 |
| New Jersey | April through September | April | 46 |
| Georgia | March through July | May | 36 |
| Michigan | April through August | June | 35 |
| North Carolina | March through July | June | 35 |
| Illinois | March through June | June | 31 |
Where the flea jumping spider is recorded in each state
New York
New York holds 144 licensed records, the joint 11th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New York run mostly March through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Tompkins County, Westchester County and Onondaga County. Next come Nassau County (10) and St. Lawrence County (10).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 144 licensed records, the 6th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Oklahoma run mostly March through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Osage County, Tulsa County and Mayes County. Next come Pawnee County (14) and Cleveland County (7).
Virginia
Virginia holds 109 licensed records, the 27th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly March through August, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Arlington County and Prince William County. Next come Loudoun County (8) and Montgomery County (4).
Ohio
Ohio holds 107 licensed records, the 15th most recorded of 332 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly April through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Franklin County, Richland County and Lake County. Next come Greene County (5) and Cuyahoga County (4).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 97 licensed records, the 14th most recorded of 164 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Pennsylvania run mostly March through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Lackawanna County, Allegheny County and Westmoreland County. Next come Bucks County (10) and Philadelphia County (9).
Indiana
Indiana holds 95 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 133 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Indiana run mostly April through July, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Lake County, Allen County and Morgan County. Next come Porter County (2) and Posey County (2).
Massachusetts
Massachusetts holds 82 licensed records, the 12th most recorded of 189 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Massachusetts run mostly April through September, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Middlesex County, Dukes County and Suffolk County. Next come Plymouth County (7) and Norfolk County (6).
Texas
Texas holds 78 licensed records, the 73rd most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly February through August, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Dallas County, Tarrant County and Travis County. Next come Parker County (3) and Taylor County (3).
Maryland
Maryland holds 74 licensed records, the 18th most recorded of 153 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run mostly March through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County and Frederick County. Next come Prince George's County (10) and Baltimore County (8).
Minnesota
Minnesota holds 56 licensed records, the 13th most recorded of 145 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Minnesota run mostly May through August, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Hennepin County, Ramsey County and Hubbard County. Next come Anoka County (4) and Stearns County (3).
Illinois
Illinois holds 55 licensed records, the 53rd most recorded of 243 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Illinois run mostly March through June, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Cook County, Will County and Champaign County. Next come Jo Daviess County (4) and DuPage County (3).
New Jersey
New Jersey holds 47 licensed records, the 12th most recorded of 127 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New Jersey run mostly April through September, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Hunterdon County, Middlesex County and Burlington County. Next come Camden County (4) and Mercer County (3).
Georgia
Georgia holds 37 licensed records, the joint 41st most recorded of 186 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Georgia run mostly March through July, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Clarke County, Cobb County and DeKalb County. Next come Greene County (4) and Towns County (2).
Michigan
Michigan holds 37 licensed records, the 19th most recorded of 122 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Michigan run mostly April through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Allegan County, Kalamazoo County and Washtenaw County. Next come Midland County (3) and Benzie County (2).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 37 licensed records, the joint 55th most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly March through July, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Cumberland County, Dare County and Durham County. Next come Orange County (3) and Wake County (3).
Tennessee
Tennessee holds 31 licensed records, the joint 32nd most recorded of 138 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Tennessee come from Williamson County, Sevier County and Cheatham County. Next come Davidson County (4) and Shelby County (3).
Louisiana
Louisiana holds 30 licensed records, the joint 26th most recorded of 107 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Louisiana come from Saint Tammany Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish and Rapides Parish.
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Osage County | Oklahoma | 68 | 4.6% |
| 2 | Franklin County | Ohio | 60 | 4.1% |
| 3 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 53 | 3.6% |
| 4 | Lake County | Indiana | 41 | 2.8% |
| 5 | Allen County | Indiana | 39 | 2.6% |
| 6 | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | 29 | 2.0% |
| 7 | Tulsa County | Oklahoma | 29 | 2.0% |
| 8 | Cook County | Illinois | 22 | 1.5% |
| 9 | Tompkins County | New York | 21 | 1.4% |
| 10 | Montgomery County | Maryland | 20 | 1.4% |
| 11 | Dallas County | Texas | 20 | 1.4% |
| 12 | Hennepin County | Minnesota | 17 | 1.2% |
| 13 | Anne Arundel County | Maryland | 16 | 1.1% |
| 14 | Westchester County | New York | 16 | 1.1% |
| 15 | Mayes County | Oklahoma | 16 | 1.1% |
How recent are the flea jumping spider records?
Most of what is known about the flea jumping spider is recent: 92% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2022 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1928; the busiest year was 2026, with 285 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 2 | 0.1% |
| 1940s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1960s | 11 | 0.7% |
| 1970s | 2 | 0.1% |
| 1980s | 2 | 0.1% |
| 1990s | 15 | 1.0% |
| 2000s | 9 | 0.6% |
| 2010s | 231 | 15.2% |
| 2020s | 1,243 | 82.0% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 227 counties where the flea jumping spider is most recorded, 148 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 | 148 |
| Familiar jumping spider | 139 |
| Nursery web spider | 139 |
| Bronze jumper | 128 |
| Orchard orbweaver | 124 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 123 |
| Dark fishing spider | 121 |
| Spotted orbweaver | 120 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Salticidae with profiles here: Bold jumper, Familiar jumping spider, Zebra spider, Bronze jumper, Magnolia green jumper and Half-edged wall jumping spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.