A jumping spider has been spotted in a garden in Monkstown in Dublin.
It's believed to be the first time the tiny red-bellied 'Philaeus Chrysops' has been seen in Ireland, with the spider usually found in warmer climates in the southern part of Europe as well China and Korea.
The spider may jump on its prey but the species is harmless to humans.
They are normally 7–12 millimetres. The males have a distinctive bright orange-red abdomen while the female is more of an orange and brown colour.
A male Philaeus chrysops jumping spider spotted in Monkstown Co. Dublin. Typically found from southern Europe across to Korea and the U.S., as far as I know this species hasn't been recorded in Ireland before. Possibly a permanent arrival on our shores given the warming climate. pic.twitter.com/rGq1OacU22
— Collie Ennis 🕷 (@collieennis) January 22, 2020
Collie Ennis is a researcher at Trinity College's Zoology Department;
"A lot of times you would expect to find these imported on plants but when you see them outside that indicates that they're moving in naturally."
He says tiny spiders like the Philaeus Chrysops have the ability to throw a web from their abdomen into the air, carrying them into the stratosphere and allowing the spiders to travel hundreds and thousands of miles.
