Abstract We investigated the nest building behavior of Paraphidippus aurantia (Lucas 1833) (Salticidae) following the experimental destruction of their nests. We located 61 nests on 52 pine saplings (43 saplings with one nest, nine with two nests) and carefully displaced all spiders and destroyed their nests. On saplings with two spiders, we removed one spider. Of the 52 nests in which the resident spider was left in place, 29 new nests were constructed in the identical location as the nests we removed. Of the 9 nests in which the resident spider was removed, no new nests were constructed. There were no nests constructed in new locations. Despite other suitable nest site locations, P. aurantia showed extreme nest site fidelity following the disturbance.