The wolf spider got its name from its unique hunting style. It does not use a web to catch insects.

The predator organizes a real hunt, tracking and killing prey, like its namesake.

Spider Lycosidae

Arachnology calls these spiders Lycosidae - Latin name wolf

Arachnology classifies them as araneomorphs, Entelegynae. The wolf spider family is very large: more than 2,300 species, divided into 116 genera.

South Russian tarantula

Of the wolf spiders in Russia, the most common is the Crimean wolf spider.

Insectivorous predators live and hunt alone, coming together only to reproduce.

They prefer a nocturnal lifestyle, but can hunt during the day. They live in burrows, lining them with their webs. The web is not used for hunting; spiders prefer to attack prey, tracking and catching up with it.

They run very fast. This is facilitated by the structure of spider legs, consisting of six joints. The surface of the limbs is covered with hairs that help in hunting. The three claws that end the front paws also help to hold prey.

External signs

When describing what a wolf spider looks like, they immediately mention its size and camouflage coloring. These are quite large arthropods.

Females can reach a length of 35 mm. Males are inferior to them in size, not exceeding 20 mm. All individuals have hair.

Camouflage coloration is the protection of these arachnids. Color changes depending on the habitat. These can be gray, black, brown-brown paints, but always in dark colors.

Wolf spider in black coloring

Light color is rare. This allows spiders to camouflage themselves in the area by simply freezing in place at signs of danger.

Sexual dimorphism

In this family of arthropods, it is easy to distinguish male and female individuals, since sexual differences are noticeably pronounced:

• The female wolf spider is noticeably larger than the male.
• The color of males is darker than that of females.
• The front legs of males are longer and more powerful than those of females.

Body structure

The structure of arthropods is very simple: the body consists of a cephalothorax and abdomen. The cephalothorax contains the organs of breathing, vision, touch, smell, and nutrition.

Body of a wolf spider

The motor limbs are also attached here. The abdominal cavity contains internal vital systems.

When the spider grows up, it molts and grows new cover. bigger size. Blood in the arthropod's body is replaced by hemolymph, circulating between the internal organs.

Usually it is colorless and transparent, but when an individual goes into the open air it acquires a blue color.

Particular attention should be paid to how many eyes the wolf spider has. The eight eyes vary in size and location.

The location of the spider's eyes

Two large eyes are located in the center, a little higher on the sides - two eyes, medium in size, and below in a row there are two pairs of tiny, side eyes.

Life cycle

Duration life cycle different types Wolf spiders vary. It depends on the size of the arthropods.

The lifespan of wolf spiders ranges from 6-12 months for small species to three years for large varieties. IN hibernation females expecting offspring and young individuals enter.

Mating process

Mating games of this species of arthropod are possible only in warm time, which is why spiders living in temperate climates mate during the summer months.

In hot countries, reproduction is possible in any season. The initiator of the mating process is the male.

To attract the interest of the opposite sex, the male uses his long front legs.

The mating ritual involves the male slowly approaching the female on his hind legs. He wiggles his front paws in front of him to interest his partner.

Spider mating process

If the female agrees to mating, she turns her belly towards him and helps him climb onto her back, folding her front paws.

Raising offspring

Raising a new generation falls entirely on the female wolf spider. After fertilization, she prepares a special cocoon for oviposition, weaving it from a web.

After the eggs enter the cocoon, the female wraps it in additional web to strengthen it.

Spider with her cocoon

The spherical ball is securely attached to the end of the abdominal cavity, and the female does not part with it until the spiderlings appear.

The egg maturation process takes two to three weeks. Warmth accelerates the maturation process, so the female, contrary to her usual way of life, often crawls out into the sun's rays.

This leads to the evaporation of moisture from her body and weight loss of up to 30%.

The mother senses when the spiders begin to hatch. Then she sheds the cocoon and destroys it with her cheliceral jaws. The number of newborns varies among species from 40 to 100.

Wolf spider with his spiderlings

Newborn spiders climb onto their mother's abdomen. If there are a large number of them, they are placed in several layers, leaving only the spider's eyes free.

The baby spiders will live on the body of a female wolf spider until they are old enough to obtain food on their own.

In most cases, the female, after caring for the offspring, dies due to exhaustion. Only the hardiest and largest individuals survive.

Diet of wolf spiders

These insectivorous predators are capable of hunting both day and night, depending on the species. Developed vision allows them to notice prey from 25-30 cm.

Wolf spider with prey

An excellent sense of smell also helps.

Spiders are capable of both catching up with a hunted victim and setting up ambushes, unexpectedly jumping out on prey.

The spider is ready to attack

To grab, they use powerful forelimbs with claws.

The prey of these representatives of arthropods are small insects.

What does a wolf spider eat:

• forest bugs;
• beetles;
• springtails;
• crickets;
• caterpillars;
• spiders of small species;
• cicadas;
• flies;
• insect larvae;
• mosquitoes, etc.

Wolf spiders feed on crop pests. Agricultural technicians highly appreciate their role in maintaining the balance of the ecological system.

The family of wolf spiders is distributed everywhere, with the exception of ice. Arthropods give preference to hot latitudes, where they are found greatest number varieties of wolf spiders.

Wolf spider peeking out of a hole

But even in cold climates they are able to live and reproduce.

They make their burrows among stones, in bushes, in grass, among tree roots, under fallen leaves - in almost any terrain. They love humidity, so if possible they settle close to bodies of water, in the shade, where the soil retains moisture.

Danger to humans

The wolf spider, a photo and description of the species of which is in the article, is not capable of causing significant harm to humans. These spiders try to avoid contact with humans.

But even if a person has been bitten, the harm will be limited to redness, itching, and short-term pain.

More dangerous are tropical species of arthropods, whose bite causes serious discomfort and requires medical attention.

Conclusion

People who don't know what a wolf spider looks like often mistake them for poisonous spiders and kill.

But experienced gardeners know about the benefits that insectivorous spiders can bring to their plantings, and try not to destroy them.

It is enough not to pick up Lycosidae in order to avoid being bitten, and then being in the vicinity of a wolf spider will only bring benefits.

Video: Wolf spider. #Talking insects

The name "wolf spider" is given to several members of the Lycosidés family. Several of these species are similar to each other, but the most common is Pardosa amentata. Wolf spiders do not weave webs; they hunt on the ground, where they wait for their prey. These spiders are often very numerous in the same territory, and got their name due to the once erroneous belief that they hunt in packs, like wolves.

Despite its name, the wolf spider is quite small, much smaller than other spiders with which it coexists very often.

The color of the wolf spider varies from gray to brown. The abdomen may have a light or dark stripe along the midline. Females are somewhat paler than males. The body length of females exceeds 2.5 cm, and with legs 8 cm. The male is somewhat smaller and the maximum length of his body is less than 2 cm. This spider can move very quickly and attack people (solely for the purpose of self-defense). So be very careful when handling it.

The female wolf spider lives her entire life in a burrow, from which she hunts, sitting at the entrance. Males travel around the territory in search of females and prey. The burrow is a vertical gallery that can reach a depth of 30 cm, and is usually located in rocky and sunny areas. The entrance to the hole is a funnel made of grass glued together with cobwebs. The funnel helps avoid attacks from the yellow scorpion (Buthus occitanus), the main enemy of the wolf spider. The height of the funnel serves to assess the suitability of the female - a female well protected from predators will be able to safely raise offspring, and also indicates for the male the likelihood of him being eaten by the female, since the deeper the funnel she builds, the less likely she is to be hungry in moment of mating. Wolf spiders are nocturnal, although females can be seen at the entrance to their burrows throughout the day in good weather.

Wolf spiders have very good eyesight and tend to run away from large animals and humans. Despite this, they are poisonous, their venom is designed to attack insects and their sting is usually no more painful than a bee sting.

These spiders can be found in all countries except Greenland and Arctic regions. They can be seen from April to September on the forest floor, in gardens, parks, and even on beaches. These spiders are an excellent means of pest control. They are a great help for farmers and gardeners because they destroy pests - gypsy moths, pea aphids, etc.

More and more more people choose these spiders as pets. The wolf spider becomes a pet now quite often. Although the wolf is not very poisonous, it is nevertheless a little nervous and very fast creature. Therefore, there are some precautions when keeping this spider. If this topic interests you, there are a few important rules you need to know.

To begin with, remember that it is always better to take a female. Female wolf spiders can reach four years of age or older. Males can live up to two years, dying soon after reaching sexual maturity. In addition, females can produce numerous offspring during their lives.

An aquarium with a volume of 10 to 20 liters is suitable for keeping a spider. The height of the aquarium is not important, since the wolf spider does not climb very well on vertical surfaces. The aquarium is filled with peat or soil to a height of 6 to 12 cm from the base. The temperature inside the aquarium should be maintained between 25 and 30°C and the humidity between 75 and 80%. Humidity should be controlled and can be increased by covering the top of the aquarium plastic film. It is necessary to regularly provide the spider with live food - crickets, cockroaches, etc. large insects, as well as fresh water.

The wolf spider's diet consists of insects such as flies, mosquitoes, crickets and beetle larvae, etc. They also eat other species of spiders. The wolf is able to eat prey that is the same size and even slightly larger, such as lizards and frogs. It is a voracious predator that hunts almost exclusively at night. It actively pursues its prey and bites it with its powerful fangs filled with poison. The venom of this spider is not fatal to humans. However, its bites can leave marks on the skin for a long time, as the venom can cause necrosis.

The wolf spider usually does not attack people unless it is scared. If you decide to keep a wolf spider as a pet, it is important to know what symptoms may occur after being bitten.

Some people have allergic reaction to a wolf spider bite. This may cause fever, swelling and a dangerous increase in blood pressure. But this happens extremely rarely and only in people suffering from allergies. Typically, a wolf spider bite can be compared to a bee sting. Generally, a spider bite does not require medical attention, but there are people who are particularly sensitive to the venom, so they should be more careful. In addition, there are more dangerous species, such as the Brazilian wolf spider. Its bite is much more serious, even for a healthy adult.

The wolf spider is an expert in hunting. It has a powerful visual system: two large eyes in front, 4 small ones below, and 2 more on the top of the skull. No one seems to be able to escape from him, and he, in turn, is also very careful, hiding from the slightest danger.

During mating, the male approaches the female with great caution, from a distance of 4 cm, to prevent any attack. Its tentacles serve as a copulatory organ.

The laid eggs are formed by the female into a cocoon and are attached to the end of the abdomen using a web. Young spiders often remain on their mother's back even more than a week after birth.

The wolf spider is a representative of arachnids from the Araneomorpha family. It does not weave a web, and its hemolymph, which replaces blood, under certain conditions acquires a blue tint. Settling in gardens and orchards, these predatory arthropods help homeowners in many ways - they destroy a huge number of harmful insects that can cause serious damage to the crop.

Characteristic

As you can see in the photo, the wolf spider has a primitive body structure - it is divided into a cephalothorax and abdomen. The covers are usually dark and colored black, brown or dark gray. Light-colored individuals are extremely rare. Thanks to their color, wolf spiders are able to camouflage perfectly - they almost completely blend into their environment.

Representatives of this family have pronounced sexual dimorphism: females are much larger than males, while the latter have darker integuments, and a pair of forelimbs is much better developed. The forelegs are used by males to attract the attention of females and during mating.

As for vision, wolf spiders have relatively good vision. They have 4 pairs of eyes, arranged in 3 rows: on the bottom row there are two pairs of small eyes, in the middle there is a pair of the largest ones, in the top row there are two lateral eyes, which are located slightly above the middle pair.

This is interesting! Thanks to good vision and a well-developed sense of smell, wolf spiders are able to detect potential prey from a fairly impressive distance - about 30 cm. But it is believed that these creatures are not able to distinguish shape!

The relationship between the organs of the wolf spider's body is ensured by transparent hemolymph, which acts as blood. It has one peculiarity - as soon as the spider goes out into the open air, the hemolymph turns blue.

Kinds

The family of wolf spiders is quite large - it includes more than 2 thousand species, which are combined into 116 genera. Moreover, representatives of each species hunt in their own way. Some may be active in daytime days, looking out for a potential victim for several hours. Others prefer to forage at dusk. There are also passive wolf spiders that will peacefully wait for their prey to approach right in their burrow.

To the very known species Wolf spiders include:

1. Apulian tarantulas are quite large arthropods, the body size of which can be about 7 cm. Representatives of this species prefer to settle on the slopes of mountains, where they dig their burrows and frame the entrance to them with a roll of fallen leaves. For a long time they were considered very poisonous, and in order to save your life after being bitten you had to start a quick dance.
   

   On a note! This is how the Italian folk dance - tarantella - was born!

2. The second most famous wolf spider is also a tarantula -. Representatives of this species are recognized as the most large spiders, living on the territory of Russia. The body length of adult males is approximately 2.5 cm, females - 3 cm. South Russian tarantulas are colored dark brown, brown-red or black. They live in burrows, from which they try not to stray far even while hunting.

Lifestyle

Wolf spiders prefer to lead a solitary lifestyle and interact with each other only during the mating period. They dig holes for themselves and entangle their walls with their own web. And for hunting they do not need a trapping net - they overtake their prey by jumping or simply catching up.

The diet of these representatives of the spider kingdom includes:

• flies;
• beetles;
• small spiders;
• springtails;
• insect larvae.

Reproduction and development

Wolf spiders living in regions with temperate climate, mate in the summer, and those that belong to tropical species mate all year round. The male, having noticed the female, begins to give enticing signals - he rises on his hind legs and, shaking his front legs, slowly approaches her. If the female likes the “suitor,” she turns her abdomen towards him and folds her front pair of legs, along which the male climbs onto her back.

After mating, the female wolf spider retires to a quiet place, where she begins to weave a silk cocoon for future offspring. She places eggs in it, puts several more layers of web on top and, after the cocoon takes on a spherical shape, attaches it to the edge of her abdomen. The female carries the clutch on herself for 2-3 weeks.

After the specified time, tiny spiderlings begin to emerge from the eggs. At this time, the female breaks the cocoon with her mouth organ, helping the offspring get out. The babies climb onto their mother, and she carries them on her body until they learn to get their own food.

Female and offspring: fun facts

1. Females of some species can carry a huge number of spiderlings on themselves, sometimes they cover the entire body, only the eyes remain free.
2. In order for development in the egg to proceed faster, warmth is necessary. Therefore, the female tries to spend as much time as possible under the rays of the sun. As a result, her body loses a large amount of moisture, which often leads to a loss of 30% of weight.
3. If the female suddenly loses the cocoon with eggs, she will experience severe stress. She can wander for hours in search of missing offspring. There were situations when females, instead of the missing cocoon, attached an ordinary piece of cotton wool to their abdomen. But the most incredible incident occurred with a spider of the species Pardosa riparia - having lost her clutch, she carried a cocoon belonging to a larger species of spider. It turned out that the alien cocoon turned out to be four times larger than herself.

Are these spiders dangerous?

Wolf spiders are mildly poisonous arachnids and are not aggressive. They attack only when they feel threatened. Their bite may be accompanied by symptoms such as:

• redness;
• short-term pain.

Important! But the consequences can be more serious and occur after bites tropical species. Symptoms will be as follows: prolonged intense pain, swelling in the affected area, nausea, dizziness, headaches. In this situation, a visit to the doctor is mandatory!

However, in cases where the wolf spider encounters a serious opponent, it prefers not to attack, but to pretend to be dead. He very quickly assumes a defeated pose, turning over with the bottom side of his belly up, and freezes. Despite the fact that this body position is far from the most comfortable for arthropods, the wolf spider can stay in it for quite a long time. And as soon as the threat has passed, he immediately “comes to life”, quickly turns over on his paws and leaves the danger zone with lightning speed.