Grayish jumping spider (Phidippus princeps)
The grayish jumping spider is a spider in the family Salticidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 820 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 33 states, most of all Virginia (169), Pennsylvania (57) and Massachusetts (56). Its observation records peak in September.
Phidippus princeps is a species of jumping spider found in Canada and the eastern United States. These jumping spiders' vision exceeds by a factor of ten than that of a dragonfly's, which have the best vision among insects.
From Wikipedia: Phidippus princeps, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the grayish jumping spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the grayish 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 grayish jumping spider?
Records are spread over 33 states; the top three, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, hold 34% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | 169 | 1.5% | 20th of 176 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | 57 | 0.8% | 28th of 164 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 56 | 1.2% | 23rd of 189 |
| 4 | Maryland | 52 | 0.9% | 31st of 153 |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 51 | 1.0% | 22nd of 149 |
| 6 | Ohio | 48 | 0.7% | 38th of 332 |
| 7 | New York | 44 | 0.7% | 34th of 149 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 39 | 0.5% | 52nd of 184 |
| 9 | Illinois | 26 | 0.1% | 101st of 243 |
| 10 | Vermont | 24 | 1.5% | 16th of 74 |
| 11 | Tennessee | 22 | 0.6% | 42nd of 138 |
| 12 | Georgia | 21 | 0.3% | 64th of 186 |
| 13 | Kentucky | 20 | 1.1% | 26th of 103 |
| 14 | Minnesota | 19 | 0.6% | 32nd of 145 |
| 15 | Indiana | 18 | 0.4% | 47th of 133 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | 18 | 1.3% | 22nd of 72 |
| 17 | New Jersey | 18 | 0.8% | 33rd of 127 |
| 18 | Florida | 16 | 0.1% | 109th of 237 |
| 19 | Missouri | 16 | 0.7% | 30th of 117 |
| 20 | Arkansas | 12 | 0.7% | 36th of 114 |
| 21 | Michigan | 11 | 0.5% | 39th of 122 |
| 22 | Kansas | 10 | 0.6% | 27th of 94 |
| 23 | Connecticut | 6 | 0.6% | 35th of 86 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | 6 | 0.2% | 98th of 149 |
| 25 | Alabama | 5 | 0.1% | 85th of 143 |
| 26 | Delaware | 5 | 0.2% | 60th of 71 |
| 27 | South Carolina | 5 | 0.2% | 68th of 121 |
| 28 | West Virginia | 5 | 0.7% | 30th of 90 |
| 29 | Iowa | 4 | 0.6% | 28th of 57 |
| 30 | Maine | 4 | 0.4% | 39th of 297 |
| 31 | Nebraska | 3 | 0.2% | 57th of 71 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | 2 | 1.2% | 21st of 53 |
| 33 | Mississippi | 1 | 0.1% | 90th of 117 |
When is the grayish jumping spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the grayish jumping spider run mostly April through October, peaking in September with 21% 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 March (North Carolina and Oklahoma) and latest in May (Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania). The most common peak month is September, shared by Maryland, New York, Ohio and Virginia.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | April through October | September | 169 |
| Massachusetts | May through October | August | 55 |
| Pennsylvania | May through October | August | 55 |
| Maryland | April through October | September | 52 |
| Oklahoma | March through October | April | 51 |
| Ohio | April through September | September | 48 |
| New York | May through October | September | 44 |
| North Carolina | March through October | August | 39 |
Where the grayish jumping spider is recorded in each state
Virginia
Virginia holds 169 licensed records, the 20th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly April through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Prince William County and Hanover County. Next come Craig County (8) and Fauquier County (8).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 57 licensed records, the 28th most recorded of 164 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Pennsylvania run mostly May through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Allegheny County, Monroe County and Bucks County. Next come Montgomery County (5) and Westmoreland County (4).
Massachusetts
Massachusetts holds 56 licensed records, the 23rd most recorded of 189 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Massachusetts run mostly May through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Dukes County, Worcester County and Middlesex County. Next come Plymouth County (5) and Barnstable County (5).
Maryland
Maryland holds 52 licensed records, the 31st most recorded of 153 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run mostly April through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Montgomery County, Prince George's County and Dorchester County. Next come Frederick County (4) and Howard County (4).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 51 licensed records, the 22nd most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Oklahoma run mostly March through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Osage County, Tulsa County and Pawnee County. Next come Mayes County (2) and Delaware County (1).
Ohio
Ohio holds 48 licensed records, the 38th most recorded of 332 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly April through September, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Summit County, Lucas County and Montgomery County. Next come Clermont County (4) and Lorain County (4).
New York
New York holds 44 licensed records, the 34th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New York run mostly May through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Tompkins County, Rockland County and Westchester County. Next come Onondaga County (5) and Suffolk County (4).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 39 licensed records, the joint 52nd most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly March through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Orange County, Buncombe County and Catawba County. Next come Durham County (3) and Mecklenburg County (3).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 66 | 8.0% |
| 2 | Osage County | Oklahoma | 40 | 4.9% |
| 3 | Allegheny County | Pennsylvania | 21 | 2.6% |
| 4 | Montgomery County | Maryland | 20 | 2.4% |
| 5 | Prince William County | Virginia | 19 | 2.3% |
| 6 | Hanover County | Virginia | 19 | 2.3% |
| 7 | Dukes County | Massachusetts | 18 | 2.2% |
| 8 | Tompkins County | New York | 14 | 1.7% |
| 9 | Worcester County | Massachusetts | 13 | 1.6% |
| 10 | Orange County | North Carolina | 11 | 1.3% |
| 11 | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | 8 | 1.0% |
| 12 | Summit County | Ohio | 8 | 1.0% |
| 13 | Craig County | Virginia | 8 | 1.0% |
| 14 | Fauquier County | Virginia | 8 | 1.0% |
| 15 | Goochland County | Virginia | 8 | 1.0% |
How recent are the grayish jumping spider records?
Most of what is known about the grayish jumping spider 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 1905; the busiest year was 2025, with 155 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 2 | 0.2% |
| 1930s | 4 | 0.5% |
| 1940s | 2 | 0.2% |
| 1960s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 2000s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 2010s | 105 | 12.6% |
| 2020s | 720 | 86.2% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 100 counties where the grayish jumping spider is most recorded, 72 are also top counties for the nursery web spider, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Nursery web spider | 72 |
| Bold jumper | 69 |
| Spined micrathena | 66 |
| Paraphidippus aurantius | 63 |
| Parson spider | 63 |
| Spotted orbweaver | 63 |
| Bronze jumper | 62 |
| Dark fishing spider | 62 |
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, Whitman's jumping spider, Apache jumping spider and Canopy jumping spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.