Entoma
Carrhotus xanthogramma, Carrhotus xanthogramma, plate

Jumping spiders

Carrhotus xanthogramma

Males have a glossy black body topped by a flattened, hairy reddish orange abdomen, a striking combination among the jumping spiders of warm shrubland.

WhereSunny shrubs and tree trunks, Europe
SizeFemale 7.1 to 9 mm, male 5.1 to 7.1 mm body length
WhenMarch to June and August to October

This robust jumping spider shows strong differences between the sexes. Males are shiny black with a flattened, hair covered abdomen in reddish orange, while females are mostly brown with a paler front and dark markings forming an arch across the body.

It hunts by day on sun warmed tree trunks and shrubs, relying on sharp eyesight to spot and stalk insects rather than building a web to catch them.

Traits

Habitat

Woodland

Colour

Black, Orange, Brown

Active

Day

To people

A robust jumping spider with no documented bite to people; it relies on its excellent eyesight to hunt rather than defend itself against anything as large as a hand.

Activity through the year

Often confused with

Philaeus chrysops

Also a warmth loving, shrub dwelling jumping spider, but the male Golden-eyed jumping spider has a bright orange red abdomen with a black central stripe, unlike the duller, flattened, hairy reddish orange abdomen of male Carrhotus xanthogramma.

Questions

Is Carrhotus xanthogramma dangerous to people?

A robust jumping spider with no documented bite to people; it relies on its excellent eyesight to hunt rather than defend itself against anything as large as a hand.

When can you see Carrhotus xanthogramma?

Carrhotus xanthogramma can be seen from March to June and August to October, by day.

Plate retouched from a photo by Wang.QG, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist Licence

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Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.