Whitman's jumping spider (Phidippus whitmani)
The Whitman's jumping spider is a spider in the family Salticidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 431 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 32 states, most of all Virginia (48), North Carolina (46) and Georgia (37). Its observation records peak in June.
Phidippus whitmani, also known as Whitman's jumping spider, is a species of jumping spider endemic to North America. It is named after American zoologist Charles Otis Whitman.
From Wikipedia: Phidippus whitmani, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the Whitman's jumping spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the Whitman's 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 Whitman's jumping spider?
Records are spread over 32 states; the top three, Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia, hold 30% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | 48 | 0.4% | 53rd of 176 |
| 2 | North Carolina | 46 | 0.6% | 42nd of 184 |
| 3 | Georgia | 37 | 0.6% | 41st of 186 |
| 4 | New York | 31 | 0.5% | 42nd of 149 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 18 | 0.2% | 61st of 164 |
| 6 | Missouri | 17 | 0.7% | 28th of 117 |
| 7 | Alabama | 14 | 0.4% | 64th of 143 |
| 8 | Illinois | 14 | 0.1% | 159th of 243 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | 14 | 0.3% | 60th of 189 |
| 10 | South Carolina | 14 | 0.6% | 36th of 121 |
| 11 | Maryland | 13 | 0.2% | 78th of 153 |
| 12 | Texas | 13 | 0.0% | 188th of 386 |
| 13 | Tennessee | 12 | 0.3% | 60th of 138 |
| 14 | Arkansas | 11 | 0.7% | 37th of 114 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | 11 | 0.8% | 31st of 72 |
| 16 | New Jersey | 10 | 0.4% | 52nd of 127 |
| 17 | Florida | 9 | 0.1% | 148th of 237 |
| 18 | Kentucky | 9 | 0.5% | 48th of 103 |
| 19 | Indiana | 7 | 0.2% | 103rd of 133 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | 7 | 0.1% | 88th of 149 |
| 21 | Vermont | 7 | 0.4% | 34th of 74 |
| 22 | Delaware | 6 | 0.3% | 57th of 71 |
| 23 | Louisiana | 6 | 0.1% | 75th of 107 |
| 24 | Michigan | 5 | 0.2% | 59th of 122 |
| 25 | Ohio | 5 | 0.1% | 114th of 332 |
| 26 | West Virginia | 4 | 0.5% | 38th of 90 |
| 27 | Mississippi | 3 | 0.2% | 72nd of 117 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | 3 | 0.1% | 114th of 149 |
| 29 | Connecticut | 2 | 0.2% | 60th of 86 |
| 30 | Minnesota | 2 | 0.1% | 108th of 145 |
| 31 | Maine | 1 | 0.1% | 61st of 297 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | 1 | 0.6% | 29th of 53 |
When is the Whitman's jumping spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the Whitman's jumping spider run mostly April through August, peaking in June 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 North Carolina) and latest in May (New York). The most common peak month is May, shared by New York, North Carolina and Virginia.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | April through August | May | 48 |
| North Carolina | March through July | May | 44 |
| Georgia | March through August | June | 37 |
| New York | May through August | May | 31 |
Where the Whitman's jumping spider is recorded in each state
Virginia
Virginia holds 48 licensed records, the 53rd most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly April through August, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Goochland County and Prince William County. Next come Louisa County (4) and Rappahannock County (3).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 46 licensed records, the joint 42nd most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly March through July, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Orange County, Cumberland County and Durham County. Next come Dare County (4) and Wake County (4).
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 August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Clarke County, Oglethorpe County and Cherokee County. Next come Wayne County (2) and Cobb 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 May through August, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Nassau County, St. Lawrence County and Suffolk County. Next come Greene County (2) and Rockland County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clarke County | Georgia | 15 | 3.5% |
| 2 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 10 | 2.3% |
| 3 | Orange County | North Carolina | 7 | 1.6% |
| 4 | Goochland County | Virginia | 6 | 1.4% |
| 5 | Nassau County | New York | 5 | 1.2% |
| 6 | St. Lawrence County | New York | 5 | 1.2% |
| 7 | Cumberland County | North Carolina | 5 | 1.2% |
| 8 | Durham County | North Carolina | 5 | 1.2% |
| 9 | Dare County | North Carolina | 4 | 0.9% |
| 10 | Wake County | North Carolina | 4 | 0.9% |
| 11 | Prince William County | Virginia | 4 | 0.9% |
| 12 | Louisa County | Virginia | 4 | 0.9% |
| 13 | Oglethorpe County | Georgia | 3 | 0.7% |
| 14 | Cherokee County | Georgia | 3 | 0.7% |
| 15 | Suffolk County | New York | 3 | 0.7% |
How recent are the Whitman's jumping spider records?
Most of what is known about the Whitman's jumping spider is recent: 87% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2023 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1912; the busiest year was 2025, with 77 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1930s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1980s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1990s | 9 | 2.0% |
| 2000s | 6 | 1.4% |
| 2010s | 68 | 15.4% |
| 2020s | 355 | 80.5% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 60 counties where the Whitman's jumping spider is most recorded, 33 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 | 33 |
| Spined micrathena | 30 |
| American green crab spider | 29 |
| Paraphidippus aurantius | 29 |
| Dark fishing spider | 27 |
| Orchard orbweaver | 27 |
| Spotted orbweaver | 27 |
| Familiar jumping spider | 26 |
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, Apache jumping spider and Canopy jumping spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.