Wolf spider: photo, lifestyle, danger to humans

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The wolf spider is a sprinter in the arachnid world.
It does not spin webs, but instead stalks and attacks its prey like a wolf. If you've seen this spider near your home, the encounter was probably memorable. Some people find them beautiful and unique, while others tremble at the sight of them. Wolf spiders can be mistaken for tarantulas because they have thick, hairy bodies. Although they look menacing, they are useful and harmless organisms. Their diet consists of many pests that can enter people's homes.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Wolf spider

Wolf spiders or ground spiders or huntsman spiders are members of the family Lycosidae, the name comes from the ancient Greek word "λύκος", meaning "wolf". This is a large and widespread group.

Wolf spiders got their name in honor of the wolf’s habit of attacking prey in a whole pack. Initially it was believed that these insects also attack in swarms. This theory has now been proven wrong.

There are over two thousand species included in 116 genera. About 125 genera are found in North America, about 50 in Europe. Numerous varieties are found even north of the Arctic Circle.

The evolution of spiders has been going on for 380 million years. The first spiders evolved from crustacean ancestors. More than 45,000 existing species have now been described. Fossil diversity rates account for a larger proportion than would be predicted by current arachnid diversity. The main stages of evolution include the development of spinnerets and the release of webs.

Video: Wolf Spider

Among the ancient terrestrial arthropods, trigonotarbites, representatives of the extinct order of arachnids, stand out. They have many characteristics identical to spiders, including being terrestrial, breathing, and walking on eight legs with a pair of foot pedals near the mouth. However, it is unknown whether they had the ability to create webs. Trigonotarbides are not true spiders. Most of their species have no living descendants.

Article information

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Categories: Home and Garden

In other languages:

English: Identify a Wolf Spider, Español: identifier a una araña lobo, Deutsch: Eine Wolfspinne erkennen, Italiano: Riconoscere un Ragno Lupo, Français: identifier une araignée loup, Português: Identifier a Aranha Lobo, 中文: 辨认狼蛛, Bahasa Indonesia : Mengenali Laba Laba Serigala (Wolf Spider) มงมุมหมาป่าหรือไม่, Nederlands: Een wolfspin herkennen, Tiếng Việt: Nhân diện nhện sói

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Appearance and features

Photo: Spider wolf animal

Most wolf spiders are small to medium in size. The largest individual is about 2.5 cm long and its legs are about the same length. They have eight eyes arranged in three rows. The bottom row has four tiny eyes, the middle row has two huge eyes, and the top row has two medium-sized eyes. Unlike other arachnids, they have excellent vision. The sensual hair on their legs and body gives them a keen sense of touch.

Flashing a beam of light towards a wolf spider produces an amazing glow caused by the light reflecting from the eyes back to its source, thus creating a "glow" that is easy to notice.

Because spiders rely on camouflage for protection from predators, their coloring does not have the bright, provocative colors of some other spider species. External colors correspond to the favorite habitat of a particular species. Most wolf spiders are dark brown. The hairy body is long and wide, with strong, long legs. They are famous for their speed of movement. They can be easily identified by the number and location of their eyes. The jaws are prominent and strong.

Wolf spiders have a primitive structure:

• the cephalothorax performs the functions of vision, food absorption, breathing and is responsible for the motor system;
• The abdominal cavity contains the internal organs.

Life expectancy depends on the size of the species. Small varieties live for six months, larger species - 2 years, sometimes longer. Fertilized females or born spiders survive the winter.

Hogna is the largest genus of wolf spiders, with over 200 species found on all continents. Many smaller genera of wolf spiders live in pastures and fields and feed on smaller prey, playing an important role in natural population control that keeps insect numbers in close proximity to wolf spiders.

Childbirth

As of July 2022, the World Spider Catalog takes the following genera in the spider family Lycosidae:

• Acantholycosa Dahl, 1908
• Adelocosa Gertsch, 1973
• Agalenocosa Mello-Leitau, 1944
• Aglaoctenus Tullgren, 1905
• Algidus Simon, 1898
• Allocosa Banks, 1900
• Allotrochosina Roewer, 1960
• Alopecosa Simon, 1885
• Amblyothele Simon, 1910
• Anomalomma Simon, 1890
• Anomalosa Roewer, 1960
• Anoteropsis L. Koch, 1878
• Arctosa S. L. Koch, 1847
• Arctosippa Roewer, 1960
• Arctosomma Roewer, 1960
• Artoria Thorell, 1877
• Artoriellula Roewer, 1960
• Artoriopsis Framenau, 2007
• Aulonia S. L. Koch, 1847
• Auloniella Roewer, 1960
• Birabenia Mello-Leitau, 1941
• Bogdocosa Ponomarev and Belosludtsev, 2008
• Brevilabus Strand, 1908
• Bristowiella Saaristo, 1980
• Camptocosa Dondale, Jimenez and Nieto, 2005
• Caporiaccosa Roewer, 1960
• Caspicosa Ponomarev, 2007
• Costacosa Framenau & Leung, 2013
• Crocodilosa Caporiacco, 1947
• Cynosa Caporiacco, 1933
• Dejerosa Roewer, 1960
• Deliriosa Kovblyuk, 2009
• Diahogna Roewer, 1960
• Diapontia Keyserling, 1877
• Dingosa Roewer, 1955
• Dolocosa Roewer, 1960
• Donacosa Alderweireldt & Jocqué, 1991
• Dorjulopirata Buchar, 1997
• Draposa Kronestedt, 2010
• Dzhungarocosa Fomichev & Marusik, 2017
• Edenticosa Roewer, 1960
• Evippa Simon, 1882
• Evippomma Roewer, 1959
• Foveosa Russell-Smith, Alderweireldt & Jocqué, 2007
• Geolycosa Montgomery, 1904
• Gladicosa Brady, 1987
• Gnatholycosa Mello-Leitau, 1940
• Gulocosa Marusik, Omelko and Koponen, 2015
• Hesperocosa Gertsch & Wallace, 1937
• Hippasa Simon, 1885
• Hippasella Mello-Leitau, 1944
• Hoggicosa Roewer, 1960
• Hogna Simon, 1885
• Hognoides Roewer, 1960
• Hyaenosa Caporiacco, 1940
• Hygrolycosa Dahl, 1908
• Kangarosa Framenau, 2010
• Katableps Jocqué, Russell-Smith and Alderweireldt, 2011
• Knoelle Framenau, 2006
• Lobizon Piacentini & Grismado, 2009
• Loculla Simon, 1910
• Lycosa Latreille, 1804
• Lycosella Thorell, 1890
• Lysania Thorell, 1890
• Mainosa Framenau, 2006
• Malimbosa Roewer, 1960
• Margonia HIPPA & Lehtinen, 1983
• Megarctosa Caporiacco, 1948
• Melecosa Marusik, Omelko and Koponen, 2015
• Melocosa Gertsch, 1937
• Minicosa Alderweireldt & Jocqué, 2007
• Molitorosa Roewer, 1960
• Mongolicosa Marusik, Azarkina & Koponen, 2004
• Mustelicosa Roewer, 1960
• Navira Piacentini & Grismado, 2009
• Notocosa Wink, 2002
• Nukagiwa Berlandsky, 1935
• Oculicosa Zyuzin, 1993
• Ocyale Audouin, 1826
• Orinocosa Chamberlin, 1916
• Oviya Sankaran, Malamel & Sebastian, 2017
• Paratrochosina Roewer, 1960
• Pardosa S. L. Koch, 1847
• Pardosella Caporiacco, 1939
• Passiena Thorell, 1890
• Pavocosa Roewer, 1960
• Phonophilus Ehrenberg, 1831
• Pirate Sundevall, 1833
• Piratula Roewer, 1960
• Portacosa Framenau, 2017
• Proevippa Purcell, 1903
• Prolycosides Mello-Leitau, 1942
• Pseudevippa Simon, 1910
• Pterartoria Purcell, 1903
• Pyrenecosa Marusik, Azarkina & Koponen, 2004
• Rabidosa Roewer, 1960
• Satta Lehtinen & HIPPA, 1979
• Schizocosa Chamberlin, 1904
• Shapna HIPPA & Lehtinen, 1983
• Sibirocosa Marusik, Azarkina & Koponen, 2004
• Sosippus Simon, 1888
• Syroloma Simon, 1900
• Tapetosa Framenau, Main, Harvey & Waldock, 2009
• Tasmanicosa Roewer, 1959
• Tetralycosa Roewer, 1960
• Tigrosa Brady, 2012
• Trabea Simon, 1876
• Trabeops Roewer, 1959
• Trebacosa Dondale & Redner, 1981
• Tricassa Simon, 1910
• Trochosa S. L. Koch, 1847
• Trochosippa Roewer, 1960
• Tuberculosa Framenau & Yoo, 2006
• Varacosa Chamberlin and Ivyevsky, 1942
• Venator Hogg, 1900
• Venatrix Roewer, 1960
• Venonia Thorell, 1894
• Vesubia Simon, 1910
• Wadicosa Zyuzin, 1985
• Xerolycosa Dahl, 1908
• Zantheres Thorell, 1887
• Zenonina Simon, 1898
• Zoica Simon, 1898
• Zyuzicosa Logunov, 2010

Where does the wolf spider live?

Photo: Poisonous wolf spider

Wolf spiders can live anywhere except Antarctica. Some species are found on cold, rocky mountain tops, while others live in volcanic lava tunnels. They can be found in deserts, tropical forests, meadows and suburban lawns. One species has even been found in wheat crops, feeding on pests such as aphids.

Some species of wolf spiders live in underground burrows, while most are found in green natural landscapes. They can often be found hidden in areas of the yard that provide spiders with cover and protection, including:

• in leaves and around plants or shrubs;
• in tall or dense grass;
• under long-sitting heaps and stacks of wood.

Unlike their four-legged namesakes, wolf spiders do not hunt in packs. They are lonely wolves who don't want to meet people. Spiders of the genus Pirata are often found near ponds or streams and have a V-shaped pale marking on their back. They run on the smooth surface of the water without diving and hunt insects on the surface of the water. Burrowing wolf spiders (Geolycosa) spend most of their lives in burrows and have heavy front legs that are used for digging.

If one is inside the house, it's likely they've come to escape extreme temperatures outdoors or because they're chasing another insect indoors. Wolf spiders try to move unnoticed through rooms at floor level. They do this by crawling along walls or under furniture.

Purchasing Tips

It is best to keep females at home whose lifespan in captivity is four years or more. When purchasing a male, you need to remember that they can live in captivity for no more than two years and, having reached sexual maturity, die quickly enough. Among other things, females, even in captivity, are capable of producing numerous offspring every year. The cost of an adult individual of species common in our country rarely exceeds 500 rubles. Exotic specimens imported from tropical countries are valued much higher.

Sources

• https://WikiParazit.ru/pauki/pauki-volki-kto-oni.html
• https://arts-family.ru/nasekomye/pauk-volk-vikipediya.html
• https://dezplan.ru/vopros/pauk-volk
• https://100zaitsev.ru/reptilii/pauk-volk-v-rossii.html
• https://wildfauna.ru/pauk-volk
• https://bioros.net/nasekomye/pauk-volk-foto-vneshnego-vida-i-opasnost-dlya-cheloveka.html
• https://www.syl.ru/article/201502/new_pauk-volk-harakteristika-semeystva-osobennosti-povedeniya
• https://stopklopu.com/pauki-volki-foto-i-opisanie/
• https://domvred.ru/pauk-volk/
• https://stopvreditel.ru/yadovitye/pauki/pauk-volk.html
• https://muravey24.ru/pauki/pauchata-na-spine-pauchihi.html

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What does a wolf spider eat?

Photo: Male wolf spider

Wolf spiders do not spin webs to catch their prey; they are true hunters and detect potential food visually or by vibration with their sensitive hairs. They often set up ambushes and pounce on their prey on the sly or give it a real chase.

Their menu may vary between insects such as:

• crickets;
• grasshoppers;
• beetles;
• ants;
• other spiders;
• aphid;
• flies;
• cicadas;
• moths;
• caterpillars;
• cockroaches;
• mosquitoes

Some huntsman spiders pounce on prey when they find it or even chase it short distances. Others wait until the prey passes nearby or sit down near the hole. Once wolf spiders catch their prey, they either mash it into a ball or inject it with venom, turning the poor thing's internal organs into a smoothie. They eat their victims by pressing them to the ground or other surface with their paws. The spider can immobilize large victims by injecting a toxic substance.

The limbs of spiders have 48 knee bends, that is, each leg has 6 joints. The wolf spider will inject venom if constantly provoked. Symptoms of its bite include swelling, mild pain and itching.

In the past, necrotic bites were often attributed to certain South American species of wolf spiders, but research has shown that the problems that occurred were caused by bites from other genera. Australian members of the species have also been associated with necrotic wounds, but careful examination of the bites also showed a negative result.

Are pseudotarantulas dangerous for humans?

These spiders are not dangerous to humans. On the Internet you can see many videos in which, upon contact with a person, a wolf spider runs away and does not attack. Wolf spiders are calm predators, but if they are continuously disturbed, they can bite.

“There is one species in Sochi, Hogna radiate lives there. This type of arthropod is not at all prone to attacking warm-blooded animals or people. In principle, it can bite through the skin, but there will be no serious, negative consequences,” says Ponomarev.

A spider bite may only cause itching, redness, or short-term pain.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Female wolf spider

Wolf spiders live alone. Most of the species spend time on the ground. The dark, speckled colors of their bodies help them blend in with decaying vegetation when they hunt or hide from predators. They sometimes dig burrows or make holes under rocks and logs to live in.

Some members of Lycosidae, such as H. carolinensis, make deep burrows in which they hide most of the time. Others, such as H. helluo, seek refuge under rocks and other cover that nature provides. As they wander from place to place, they can end up in people's homes when the weather turns cold. Males of almost any species can sometimes be found inside buildings as they wander around looking for females in the fall.

Instead of blood, spiders have hemolymph, which contains copper. Once outdoors, it turns blue. Veins + arteries are completely absent, communication between organs is carried out using hemolymph.

Most species build tubular nests in the ground lined with spider webs. Some hide the entrance with trash, others build a tower-like structure over the entrance. At night they leave their secret hideout and go hunting. The spider tries to find a convenient place so that the insect can pass by. From a distance of several centimeters, the wolf spider jumps forward and grabs its prey.

Recommendations

1. "Wolf Spiders: Lycosidae Sundevall 1833". Australasian Society of Arachnology
   . Retrieved October 2, 2008.
2. Spiders of North America,
   D. Ubik et al., pp. 164
3. https://gizmodo.com/this-is-how-to-find-the-spiders-that-are-staring-at-you-1721584332 - “Most spiders have eight eyes. In some species—mostly those that hunt their prey, such as wolf spiders—four of these eyes have an iridescent layer behind the retina called the tapetum.”
4. 2013: https://www.americanarachnology.org/JoA_free/JoA_v41_n1/arac-41-1-43.pdf - "In the lycozoid of spiders, the secondary eyes have a lattice-shaped tapetum lucidum that reflects light, causing the eyes to shine, when these spiders are viewed in approximately coaxial lighting."
5. Xerces Society (2014). Farming with Native Beneficial Insects: Ecological Solutions for Pest Control
   . North Adams, MA: Story Publishing. pp. 204–205. ISBN 9781612122830.
6. Ribeiro, LA.; Jorge, M. T.; Piesco, R. V.; Nishioka, S. A. (1990). "Wolf spider bites in São Paulo, Brazil: a clinical and epidemiological study of 515 cases." Toxicon
   .
   28
   (6):715–717. Doi:10.1016 / 0041-0101 (90) 90260-E. PMID 2402765.
7. Isbister, Jeffrey K.; Framenau, Volker W. (2004). "Bites from Australian wolf spiders (Lycosidae): clinical effects and species influence on the circumstances of the bites." Clinical toxicology
   .
   42
   (2): 153–161. Doi:10.1081/CLT-120030941. PMID 15214620.
8. "Family: Lycosidae Sundevall, 1833". World Catalog of Spiders
   . Natural History Museum Bern. Received 2019-04-22.
9. Piacentini, Luis N.; Ramirez, Martin J. (2019). "Wolf Hunting: A Molecular Phylogeny of Wolf Spiders (Araneae, Lycosidae)". Molecular phylogenetics and evolution
   .
   136
   : 227–240. Doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2019.04.004.
10. Framenau, Volker W.; Hebets, Eileen A. (April 2007). "REVIEW OF WOLF SPIDER LEG DECORATION WITH A DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES FROM AUSTRALIA, ARTORIA SCHIZOCOIDES (ARANEAE, LYCOSIDAE)." Journal of Arachnology
    .
    35
    (1):89–101. Doi:10.1636/ST06-15.1. ISSN 0161-8202.
11. Vaccaro, Rosanna (2010). "Courtship and mating behavior of the wolf spider Schizocosa bilineata (Araneae: Lycosidae)". Journal of Arachnology
    .
    38
    : 452–459.
12. Wilder, Sean M.; Ripstra, Anne L. (2008-06-12). "Previous encounters with the opposite sex influence the mating behavior of male and female wolf spiders (Araneae, Lycosidae)." Behavioral ecology and sociobiology
    .
    62
    (11): 1813–1820. Doi:10.1007/s00265-008-0610-8. ISSN 0340-5443.
13. "Carolina Wolf State Spider." Statessymbolsusa.org
    .
    South Carolina designated the Carolina wolf spider ( Hogna carolinensis
    ) as its official state spider in 2000, thanks to the efforts of Skyler B. Hutto, a third grade student at Sheridan Elementary School in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Wolf spider

When it's time to mate, males attract females by rhythmically flapping their long mouth parts (palps) or drumming them on leaves. The male approaches the female for mating with his front pair of legs raised. Readiness to mate is probably demonstrated by a scent that can be heard even at a distance of one meter.

Males of the species Allocosa brasiliensis may eat a female with poor reproductive capabilities or an old female incapable of reproducing. This biological fact was recorded for the first time.

The male then makes circular movements in accordance with the fixed pattern of the legs (pedipalps), in which the seed pockets are located. The mating female responds by tapping her front legs and takes a few steps towards the male, who then resumes courtship. This continues until they are almost touching. In nocturnal species, acoustic signals play an important role, while in daytime species, optical signals play an important role.

The male crawls onto the female's front and bends down on one side of the abdomen to insert the first palpus. A woman flattens her belly. Then a second palpus is inserted from the other side. Wolf spiders are unique in that they carry their eggs with them in a cocoon. After mating, the female spins a round web sac containing eggs, attaches it to spinnerets at the end of her abdomen, and carries the unborn cubs with her.

This species of spider has extremely strong maternal instinct. If the female has somehow lost her cocoon with her cubs, she becomes very restless and begins to wander aimlessly, trying to find it. If she fails to find the pouch, the female grabs any object that resembles it. These can be tiny pieces of cotton wool, cotton fibers, etc. In this way, she is trying to create the illusion of bearing children.

The stomach should be in a raised position so that the bag does not drag on the ground. But even in this position, females are able to hunt. Another aspect characteristic of wolf spiders is their method of caring for their young brood. Immediately after the spiders emerge from the soft, protected cover, they climb up the mother’s legs onto her back.

Hundreds of small wolf spiders cling to the mother's hairs and sit on her in several layers, feeding on the epidermis. At this time, the mother wanders around to find the best microclimatic conditions and good shelter for her children. To avoid danger, she gives up hunting for about eight days. The mother carries the spiders for several weeks before they become large enough to fend for themselves.

Is it possible to keep at home?

Wolf spiders can be kept as pets. Insects can live in dry aquariums filled with soil.

The main thing is to create the necessary conditions for them: periodically water the ground, but so that the water does not fall on the spiders themselves. To create spiders that are as close to natural living conditions as possible, you need to place leaves and branches in the aquarium.

Spiders are regularly fed dry, crushed food. Some owners give them live prey - various insects that spiders feed on in nature.

It is better to keep a female rather than a male - they are larger in size and live longer. In addition, females are less demanding of conditions and can survive even slight frost.

If you keep a pair - a female and a male, you can get offspring from them. However, such an act is very risky - the chance of being bitten increases many times over.

You should always remember that the wolf spider is dangerous, and if there are children in the house, it is better to abandon this idea and get, for example, a fish, a hamster, or a cat.

Natural enemies of the wolf spider

Photo: Animal spider wolf

There are many predators that would love to feast on a wolf spider, but these arachnids have several defense mechanisms to help them avoid becoming victims of the food chain. Roaming species of wolf spiders use their agility and speed, as well as unique coloring that blends in with their environment.

Predators to watch out for include:

• wasps. They do not eat the spider, but temporarily paralyze it with a sting before inserting the egg inside. As the larvae mature, these nascent organisms eat the spider from the inside. Some wasps pull the spider towards their nest and completely suppress it, protecting the larvae. Other varieties place the egg inside and then allow the wolf spider to run free;
• amphibians and small reptiles. Amphibians also enjoy the delicious food provided by the wolf spider. Creatures such as frogs and salamanders are known to feed on various types of spiders. Amphibian predators will typically eat any creature small enough for them to swallow whole. Small reptiles such as snakes and lizards also eat wolf spiders, although larger species may skip this spider in favor of a larger meal;
• shrews and coyotes. Although wolf spiders are arachnids, they are close enough to insects that they are often preyed on by shrews. These tiny creatures require a constant intake of food to maintain their energy levels. Coyotes also sometimes eat wolf spiders;
• birds. While some birds prefer seeds and vegetation, other birds seek to enjoy live prey. Numerous bird species, including owls and elf hummingbirds, are predators of the wolf spider. These arachnids do not use webs, so they must go out to hunt and obtain food, which makes them vulnerable to attack from above.

If forced to fight, the wolf spider will bite its opponents with its large jaws. If faced with death, they are willing to sacrifice even a leg to survive the situation, although losing a leg makes them slower and more vulnerable to future attacks.

Habitat

Wolf spiders can be found in a wide range of habitats both coastal and inland. These include shrubs, wet coastal forests, alpine meadows, suburban gardens and houses. The spiders disperse through the air; Consequently, wolf spiders have a wide distribution. Although some species have very specific microhabitat needs (for example, a stream on the side of gravel or mountainous grass fields), most are wanderers without permanent homes. Some build burrows, which may be left open or have a hatch (depending on the species). Arid-zone types build turrets or connect their holes with sheets and pebbles during the rainy season to protect themselves from flood waters. They are often found in man-made places such as barns and other outdoor equipment.