Siler cupreus
This tiny jumping spider hunts almost nothing but ants, sometimes biting into an ant's abdomen while pinning it down with its front legs.
| Where | Gardens and parks across East Asia |
|---|---|
| Size | Female 5 to 6 mm, male 3 to 4 mm body length |
| When | April to October |
Males have an emerald green carapace that shades into red and then light blue near the legs, a red, blue and black abdomen, and legs banded white and black; females are similarly colored but duller, with a dark gray abdomen showing a red dash and a black central spot.
It preys almost exclusively on ants, following them across walls, railings and leaf litter in gardens and parks, and males raise their tufted front legs and move in fast, erratic bursts when they meet a rival or a mate.
Traits
Habitat
Garden
Colour
Green, Red, Blue
Active
Day and night
To people
Not dangerous to people; this tiny spider is interested in ants, not in humans, and poses no risk if handled.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
This relative has a red cephalothorax covered in bluish metallic hairs and a silver-haired abdomen marked with red and black, a brighter and more contrasting combination than the emerald-to-blue shading of Siler cupreus.
Questions
Is Siler cupreus dangerous to people?
Not dangerous to people; this tiny spider is interested in ants, not in humans, and poses no risk if handled.
When can you see Siler cupreus?
Siler cupreus can be seen from April to October, by day and at night.
Plate retouched from a photo by Timur Kalininsky, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist Licence
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Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.