Appearance
The average size of adults ranges from roughly 13–20 millimetres in length. They are typically black with a pattern of spots and striped on their abdomen and legs. Often these spots are orange-tinted in juveniles, turning white as the spider matures. The spider belongs to the genus ''Phidippus'', a group of jumping spiders easily identified both by their relatively large size and their iridescent chelicerae. In the case of ''P. audax'', these chelicerae are a bright, metallic green or blue.
Naming
''P. audax'' is the type species for the genus ''Phidippus''. The species name is derived from the Latin word ''audax'' meaning "daring, audacious".
Distribution
This species is common in southeastern Canada, most of the United States and parts of northern Central America, and has been introduced to Hawaii and the Nicobar Islands.
Behavior
These spiders have been known to jump from 10 to 50 times their own body length by suddenly increasing the blood pressure in the third or fourth pair of legs, and the male may jump away during mating if the female approaches too quickly.Like other jumping spiders, due to their large, forward-facing eyes, they have very good stereoscopic vision. This aids them when stalking prey, and allows some visual communication with others of their species, such as courting 'dances'.
Habitat
Like most jumping spiders, ''P. audax'' tends to prefer relatively open areas to hunt in, as they actively seek and stalk prey and do not build webs to catch food. They do use webbing, however, when laying eggs or to hide. They also use spider silk as a 'lifeline' when jumping for prey or evading predators.They are common in fields and grasslands, but are frequently seen on fences, exterior walls, and gardens as well. Many jumping spiders seem to prefer flat vertical surfaces, likely due to the fact that it enables them to spot and chase down roaming insects with ease.
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