Jumping Spider Catches a Honeybee

A jumping spider, in the family Salticidae, has captured a honeybee. The pair of bumps on the upper surface of the first body segment, just even with the second pair of legs, are eyes. It has another, tiny, pair of eyes just in front of them (not visible in this photo). Click to enlarge.

This spider was walking down a post on a fence in Brooklyn Bridge Park, carrying a honeybee just about as big as itself. The spider kept all eight of its eyes on me as I tried to take a picture, moving to the far side of the fence post as I followed it around.

The spider has four big forward-facing eyes. Click to enlarge. 

The jumping spider doesn't spin a web; it wanders while hunting for prey with its excellent eyes. It can jump many times its body length, but trails a thread of silk for retreat in case an attempted pounce doesn't work out.

This pounce worked just fine.