Buzz
Wolf spiders do not follow the traditional spider pattern. Instead of spinning webs and capturing prey, they hunt by stalking and chasing their target, much like wolves do. While they resemble tarantulas in appearance, wolf spiders are generally smaller and belong to a different family. Their scientific name, Lycosidae, comes from the Greek word for 'wolf'.
Steps
Identifying a Wolf Spider
Observe the physical features of the wolf spider. Here are some key traits: a hairy body, colored from brown to gray with distinct markings or stripes. Female wolf spiders are about 35 mm in length, while males are approximately 20 mm long.
Observe the arrangement of the spider's 8 eyes. Wolf spider eyes are arranged in three rows: the first row contains four small eyes, the second row has two large eyes, and the third row holds two medium-sized eyes. The two central eyes on the spider's face are noticeably larger than the other six.
Note that if the spider has 3 claws on its tibia, it's definitely a wolf spider. The tibia is the last segment of the spider's leg. Wolf spiders feature 3 claws at the tip of their tibia.
Check for hair on the spider's abdomen. This feature may cause you to confuse wolf spiders with tarantulas, but most wolf spiders are significantly smaller than tarantulas.
Recognize the habitat of wolf spiders
Notice if the spider retreats to a burrow. Check areas around doorways and windows, as well as around the house and any other outbuildings. If you see a spider moving into a burrow or crack instead of a web, it is further evidence that it's a wolf spider.
Observe the wolf spider chasing prey on the ground. Web-building spiders rarely venture on the ground. In contrast, wolf spiders are quite comfortable moving on the ground and seldom climb tall structures.
Look for a white egg sac behind the spider’s abdomen in early spring and summer. Female wolf spiders carry an egg sac behind their abdomen.
Check if the female spider is carrying spiderlings on her back. This is a distinctive trait of wolf spiders.
Note that wolf spiders can hunt both during the day and night. You'll notice that most of the wolf spider's prey (such as crickets, caterpillars, etc.) appear both during the day and at night. If there are many insects around, you may find a wolf spider nearby.
Advice
- Wolf spiders are actually quite shy and usually run away when you approach, but they will bite if they are cornered.
- You can manage the number of wolf spiders around your home by trimming grass and shrubs neatly, and avoiding piles of bricks or wood in the yard.
- Having a magnifying glass on hand to observe wolf spiders can be quite helpful.
- Wolf spiders live for about two years and are preyed upon by wasps.
Warning
- Although wolf spiders are venomous, you should not kill them. They are not aggressive, and even if bitten, their venom is not harmful. In fact, wolf spiders play a crucial role in the ecosystem by eating many harmful insects.
- Do not handle wolf spiders. While they are generally peaceful creatures, they can still bite, and their bites can be quite painful.
- If you have a weak or dying wolf spider in a box, avoid feeding it any insects that could harm it, such as live ants.
