Another NOT an Odonate.

It's an Arachnid.   A cool little arachnid.

So here I am, washing and polishing and waxing my little canoe and this little jumping spider comes running along the bottom of the hull.  I like the Salticidae (the "leapers" in Latin), they're small, cute, and fairly fearless.   If you move a finger toward them, they usually hold their position, sometimes even approaching you.  Sometimes they'll hop on your finger with just a nudge, and they have gigantic eyes which make them seem a little more, well, friendly.  They can jump 75 times their length.  If I were a jumping spider I would be able to jump the length of a football field with ease.

This is a Platycryptus undatus, a Tan Jumping Spider.  A male P. undatus, to be specific.  He has a tan mustache.  The female doesn't.  Check out the eyes...four in the front, allowing for stereoscopic vision, and four on top of the cephalothorax.

Just for reference, this little dude could sit on my pinky fingernail and there would be plenty of room left for a friend.

Respectfully submitted,

  Canoelover