![]() Gratuitous vocabulary word(s) of the day: some Geolycosa species are “ turricolous” (they live in areas that have some leaf litter, and they create little turrets or lips made of debris, sand, and silk around the opening of the tunnel ), and others are “ aturricolous” (they don’t).īracing itself within the tunnel with its legs, the spider uses its fangs to loosen the sand, and if the sand is not moist enough on its own, it uses silk to compact the sand into a pellet. Spiderlings hatch in early summer, overwinter as immature spiders in their first year, and become adults in late summer of their second year. She displays maternal care – carrying around first her egg sac, and later her young (and not eating them). They mate in late summer, but the gravid female doesn’t make an egg sac until the next spring. In early fall, though, when a young spider’s fancy turn to love, he abandons that security and sets off in search of romance. They can dodge predators and avoid desiccation within a relatively stable, climate-controlled tunnel. They are tied to one spot, with fixed pools of prey and of potential mates, but the trade-off is an absence of Flying Monkeys. They initiate their own lair when they’re very small, enlarging it as they grow, rarely straying more than an inch or so away from it, and retreating into it when alarmed. īurrowing wolf spiders are generally Stay-at-Homes – the spiderlings don’t scatter far from the maternal burrow. A pair of palps, which look like a short leg on each side of the chelicerae, are used to manipulate food. They have strong legs and (short spider anatomy review, here) two strong chelicerae (jaws) that are used as pincers and that are tipped with fangs. Of the 75 species in the genus worldwide, 18 live in North America north of the Rio Grande. They live in vertical burrows, and they are habitat specialists, preferring loose, sandy soil that makes digging easier. Wolf spiders in the genus Geolycosa are called the Burrowing wolf spiders ( geo means “earth”). Most species of wolf spider do not spin trap webs. Having eight eyes in total (four smaller eyes in the bottom row, two larger eyes in the middle, and two of medium size on the top row), these spiders can see very well which comes in handy traveling at such high speeds! Their front legs are reasonably large, and wolf spiders have fairly strong chelicerae (pincher or claw like appendages) to crush and tear apart their prey.ĭon’t risk the safety of your family and your pets, call us today if you suspect poisonous spiders in your home and we will be there as soon as possible to remove them.Wolf spiders (family Lycosidae) ( lycosa is Greek for “wolf”) are common, hairy, nocturnal, ground-dwelling hunters with very good eyesight. During the autumn season, as is usual for most insects, wolf spiders may venture into your home in hopes of a warmer winter and survival.įrequently mistaken for tarantulas, wolf spiders have brown/dark coloration and are quite hairy. They make homes under rocks or they will dig holes in the ground and cover their hiding places with grass and leaves. Where do wolf spiders live and will they enter my home? If you do try this, the baby spiders will scatter and you’re left with quite a bunch of them throughout your home. Something you don’t want to do is attempt killing the spiders by smacking or hitting them, as mother wolf spiders (similar to most species) carry their young on their bac. Spider bites can get worse over time, and the sooner a doctor sees you the better the outcome. If bitten, apply ice to reduce swelling, avoid movement if possible, and immediately seek medical attention. If you do have a close encounter wolf spiders are not known for being aggressive, but they can and will bite when feeling threatened. These arachnids move quickly and can reach two feet per second, which reduces the likelihood that you’ll even get near one. ![]() They also go by ground spiders or hunting spiders, as they do not use a web they literally hunt down their prey. The name of the Wolf Spider originates from the initial belief that these spiders hunted in a pack together.
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