I brought home two jumping spiders from work last week, a tiny one that I found on a milkweed plant and another, a giant jumper, that a coworker scooped up for me in the shed. Imagining myself to be Thomas Shahan, I twisted on my extension tubes, set my flashes, and released the giant into my whitebox to photograph him/her. Then I promptly lost it. I picked up the sheets of paper in the bottom and shook everything out and couldn’t find it. I was beginning to be worried it had jumped in my hair or something when I saw it clamor over the back of my large flash. It loved that flash! Any time I lost track of it, I’d soon find it sitting on the flash again. So, I took a couple of shots of it up there, just because it amused me that it loved the flash so much:
Jumping spider, in love with the flash
I am leaning toward Phidippus otiosus on this one, based on the colors and pattern on the upper surface of the abdomen. Anyone want to contest that?
Happy Wednesday everyone!
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The Dragonfly Woman 
Great image and so is the one produced by the text, although favourite perch for a spider has me thinking, seriously, why?? The position in the room, something to do with camouflage, presence of food, threat ??
Love the blogs that make me think!
I guess I was assuming that it was going to the light because it’s often a good place to catch food. That’s a total guess though! Glad you liked the post though.
To think it could have been in your hair! Oh my! :) You’re brave. What a great photo.
Thanks! Glad you like it. :)