Putnam's jumper (Phidippus putnami)
The Putnam's jumper is a spider in the family Salticidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 1,133 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 26 states, most of all Virginia (171), Georgia (145) and North Carolina (99). Its observation records peak in May.
Is the Putnam's jumper poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the Putnam's 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 Putnam's jumper?
Records are spread over 26 states; the top three, Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina, hold 37% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | 171 | 1.5% | 18th of 176 |
| 2 | Georgia | 145 | 2.2% | 8th of 186 |
| 3 | North Carolina | 99 | 1.2% | 21st of 184 |
| 4 | Tennessee | 84 | 2.2% | 10th of 138 |
| 5 | Maryland | 80 | 1.4% | 17th of 153 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 69 | 1.3% | 14th of 149 |
| 7 | Texas | 63 | 0.2% | 88th of 386 |
| 8 | Ohio | 55 | 0.8% | 33rd of 332 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 49 | 0.7% | 31st of 164 |
| 10 | New Jersey | 36 | 1.6% | 16th of 127 |
| 11 | Missouri | 34 | 1.5% | 15th of 117 |
| 12 | Kentucky | 31 | 1.7% | 14th of 103 |
| 13 | New York | 31 | 0.5% | 42nd of 149 |
| 14 | Illinois | 29 | 0.2% | 91st of 243 |
| 15 | Arkansas | 28 | 1.7% | 16th of 114 |
| 16 | Indiana | 24 | 0.5% | 38th of 133 |
| 17 | Delaware | 18 | 0.9% | 32nd of 71 |
| 18 | Louisiana | 18 | 0.4% | 42nd of 107 |
| 19 | Alabama | 14 | 0.4% | 64th of 143 |
| 20 | South Carolina | 14 | 0.6% | 36th of 121 |
| 21 | Kansas | 9 | 0.5% | 30th of 94 |
| 22 | Michigan | 8 | 0.3% | 48th of 122 |
| 23 | Mississippi | 8 | 0.6% | 35th of 117 |
| 24 | Nebraska | 6 | 0.5% | 42nd of 71 |
| 25 | West Virginia | 5 | 0.7% | 30th of 90 |
| 26 | Iowa | 2 | 0.3% | 38th of 57 |
When is the Putnam's jumper seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the Putnam's jumper run mostly April through August, peaking in May with 31% 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 (Georgia) and latest in May (Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri and Pennsylvania). The most common peak month is May, shared by Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | April through July | May | 168 |
| Georgia | March through September | May | 145 |
| North Carolina | April through August | May | 98 |
| Tennessee | April through August | June | 84 |
| Maryland | May through August | May | 80 |
| Oklahoma | April through September | April | 67 |
| Texas | April through August | May | 61 |
| Ohio | April through August | June | 55 |
| Pennsylvania | May through August | June | 49 |
| New Jersey | April through August | June | 36 |
| Missouri | May through August | June | 33 |
| Kentucky | May through August | May | 31 |
| New York | April through July | July | 31 |
Where the Putnam's jumper is recorded in each state
Virginia
Virginia holds 171 licensed records, the joint 18th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly April through July, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Arlington County and Loudoun County. Next come Prince William County (8) and Buckingham County (4).
Georgia
Georgia holds 145 licensed records, the 8th most recorded of 186 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Georgia run mostly March through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Clarke County, Gwinnett County and Cobb County. Next come DeKalb County (6) and Fulton County (5).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 99 licensed records, the joint 21st most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly April through August, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Orange County, Buncombe County and Cumberland County. Next come Wake County (9) and Randolph County (8).
Tennessee
Tennessee holds 84 licensed records, the 10th most recorded of 138 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly April through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Williamson County, Davidson County and Knox County. Next come Shelby County (7) and Montgomery County (6).
Maryland
Maryland holds 80 licensed records, the 17th most recorded of 153 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run mostly May through August, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Prince George's County, Frederick County and Montgomery County. Next come Baltimore County (9) and Anne Arundel County (8).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 69 licensed records, the joint 14th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Oklahoma run mostly April through September, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Osage County, Tulsa County and Oklahoma County. Next come Carter County (5) and Cleveland County (4).
Texas
Texas holds 63 licensed records, the joint 88th most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly April through August, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Bastrop County, Collin County and Dallas County. Next come Montgomery County (4) and Fort Bend County (4).
Ohio
Ohio holds 55 licensed records, the 33rd most recorded of 332 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly April through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Franklin County, Cuyahoga County and Hamilton County. Next come Summit County (4) and Adams County (3).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 49 licensed records, the 31st most recorded of 164 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Pennsylvania run mostly May through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Allegheny County, Philadelphia County and Chester County. Next come Bucks County (5) and Dauphin County (3).
New Jersey
New Jersey holds 36 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 127 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New Jersey run mostly April through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Atlantic County, Cape May County and Hudson County. Next come Middlesex County (3) and Monmouth County (2).
Missouri
Missouri holds 34 licensed records, the 15th most recorded of 117 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Missouri run mostly May through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Johnson County, St. Louis County and Texas County. Next come Boone County (2) and Dent County (2).
Kentucky
Kentucky holds 31 licensed records, the joint 14th most recorded of 103 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Kentucky run mostly May through August, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Jefferson County, Madison County and Fayette County. Next come Garrard County (2) and Boone County (2).
New York
New York holds 31 licensed records, the joint 42nd most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New York run mostly April through July, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Rockland County, Richmond County and Suffolk County. Next come Kings County (3) and Queens County (3).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clarke County | Georgia | 74 | 6.5% |
| 2 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 57 | 5.0% |
| 3 | Arlington County | Virginia | 53 | 4.7% |
| 4 | Gwinnett County | Georgia | 30 | 2.6% |
| 5 | Osage County | Oklahoma | 24 | 2.1% |
| 6 | Williamson County | Tennessee | 23 | 2.0% |
| 7 | Prince George's County | Maryland | 20 | 1.8% |
| 8 | Frederick County | Maryland | 19 | 1.7% |
| 9 | Orange County | North Carolina | 17 | 1.5% |
| 10 | Bastrop County | Texas | 16 | 1.4% |
| 11 | Allegheny County | Pennsylvania | 15 | 1.3% |
| 12 | Tulsa County | Oklahoma | 14 | 1.2% |
| 13 | Montgomery County | Maryland | 10 | 0.9% |
| 14 | Rockland County | New York | 10 | 0.9% |
| 15 | Buncombe County | North Carolina | 10 | 0.9% |
How recent are the Putnam's jumper records?
Most of what is known about the Putnam's jumper is recent: 98% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2024 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1935; the busiest year was 2025, with 285 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1940s | 3 | 0.3% |
| 2000s | 3 | 0.3% |
| 2010s | 81 | 6.8% |
| 2020s | 1,098 | 92.6% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 178 counties where the Putnam's jumper is most recorded, 111 are also top counties for the spotted orbweaver, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Spotted orbweaver | 111 |
| Familiar jumping spider | 109 |
| Orchard orbweaver | 107 |
| Bold jumper | 106 |
| Paraphidippus aurantius | 106 |
| Nursery web spider | 104 |
| Spined micrathena | 103 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 94 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other species of the genus Phidippus with profiles here: Bold jumper, Brilliant jumping spider, Johnson jumper, Grayish jumping spider, 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.