Phidippus princeps pedipalp displayThis adult female Phidippus princeps from Greenville County, South Carolina, USA, was filmed as it actively surveyed the surroundings from a vantage point near the top of a plant. In this case, the spider stayed in much the same position for more than 6 minutes, turning and surveying the surroundings in multiple directions. This active sequence also illustrates both alpha (lateral, often stepping) and beta (dorso-ventral, based on elevation of the prosoma) facing turns. When threatened, these spiders may stop all display with the pedipalps, and freeze in position for a period of time. The pedipalps bear many chemosensory setae at their ends, but it is thought that the display shown here (pedipalp flicker, with pedipalps raised above the surface) is meant to elicit movement or a response from other animals in the direction faced by the spider. This movement may actually attract flies to the vicinity of the spider.
