We first saw this little (5.5 mm) jumping spider in summer 2008 at the edge of a trail near the top of Blue Mountain, in Olympic National Park (elevation about 6,000 feet). The characteristic red color—actually a red, white and blue color scheme, photos 2 and 4—led to identification by the kind folks at bugguide.

On subsequent trips to the same location, we saw females within a few yards of where I’d photographed the male. Wayne Maddison, University of British Columbia, confirmed the female identification. (Also see Maddison Jumping Spider Courtship.)

In May 2009, I discovered a population of H. americanus at Port Williams beach, near Sequim, WA. (1 and 3) I think the peak of Blue Mountain can be seen (or almost) from this beach. Photo 1 shows the irridescent clypeus, just below the front eyes, nicely.

This beach is at the mouth of Sequim Bay, which opens into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Just to the west of the beach lies a marsh. We observed and photographed H. americanus on or near logs at the boundary between the salt-water beach and the fresh-water marsh and above high-tide line.

We also observed and photographed H. americanus males and females in a similar beach environment at the Point Wilson beach, Fort Worden, Port Townsend. Again they were on logs above the high-tide line between the beach and an area of vegetation, but in this case, there’s no fresh water.

In the short video clip (6) a male turns toward a female about a foot away and out of the frame. He appears to drum on the log.

In this photo, a male, to the right, is displaying to a female. Another male is some 18 inches away on the same log (lower left in the uncropped photo).

The Post Office has honored Habronattus americanus with a stamp in the Insects & Spiders set. Copyright © 2009 United States Postal Service. Steve Buchanan (artist).

Blue Mountain: 47°57'17.33"N 123°15'32.64"W

Port Williams Beach: 48° 5'50.21"N 123° 2'49.98"W

Point Wilson Beach: 48° 8'33.05"N 122°45'19.01"W