Bug lover and photographer The Butterfly Babe takes amazing images of all sorts of creepy crawlies. But of all the bugs out there, perhaps the most adorable (it’s an arachnid, technically) are these tiny jumping spiders wearing droplets of water as hats.
Yes, I just used the word “adorable” when describing spiders, and once you see these pictures, you’re not even going to be able to argue.
Jumping spiders are part of the family Salticidae, which is the largest family of spiders. They have amazing vision (look at those eyes!) and, as their name suggest, jump when hunting or in response to a perceived threat.
Chances are, there are some of these spiders near you right now (maybe they’re even sporting this fashion right on your porch!). They live in all manner of climates, from tropical forests to deserts – even on the slopes of Mount Everest.
They’re active, capable hunters (maybe they disarm the prey with their cute fashion choices!) and often nab prey by jumping several times the length of their own bodies.
The spiders are smart as well as cute; their expressive faces hiding brains capable of learning. They’ve been shown to recognize and remember colors, and they use the ability to make themselves better hunters.
Which is all interesting, but my favorite thing about them is still the water droplets on their heads in these pictures.
Is there a spider haberdashery? Is it pure, sweet chance? Are they saving a drink for later? I need to know more!
