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, the Latin name for 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.
As the spider grows, it molts and grows a new, larger cover. 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
The life cycle length of different species of wolf spiders varies. 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. Females expecting offspring and young individuals go into hibernation.
Mating process
Mating games of this species of arthropod are possible only in warm weather, so spiders living in temperate climates mate in 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 the largest number of species of wolf spiders are found.
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 them.
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 wolf spider does not weave a web for hunting; it tracks prey, stalks it and attacks. He is a lone hunter.
Long strong legs and body are perfectly adapted for this lifestyle. Most wolf spiders are diurnal creatures with well-developed vision and sense of smell.
They have eight eyes arranged in three rows. The bottom row consists of four small eyes, the middle row consists of two large ones, the top row consists of two small ones, which are located on the sides, above the middle eyes.
Wolf spiders are gray, black or brown. Their color helps them camouflage themselves from other predators and ambush their prey.
They feed on small spiders, flies, caterpillars, mole crickets, insect larvae and other creatures of suitable size.
Wolf spiders live all over the world, except the Arctic and Antarctica, but prefer a warm and humid climate.
Males are darker in color, with well-developed forelimbs. Females are much larger and lighter in color. In general, the size of wolf spiders depends on the species. Some species are no more than 5 mm, others reach 5-6 cm in length.
Life expectancy is also related to size: small species live for six months, large ones for more than two years.
Some species of wolf spiders dig burrows using chelicerae (claw-like mouthparts). The walls inside the hole are lined with cobwebs. The depth of the hole reaches 30-40 cm. Wolf spiders of this species hunt in the area around the hole, but if an insect crawls into their hole, it will be the spider’s legal prey.
Mating time depends on the season and place of residence of the spider. Spiders living in tropical climates mate all year round, while those living in temperate climates mate in the summer or late summer.
The process begins with courtship: the male approaches his partner, vibrating his abdomen and swaying his forelimbs. If the female is ready to mate, she turns to the male and folds her front legs, along which the male climbs onto her back.
After mating, the female can eat her partner as a source of nutrients for future offspring.
After mating, the female weaves a cocoon from the web where she will lay her eggs. When the eggs are laid, she wraps the cocoon in several more layers of web and attaches it to her spider warts.
After two or three weeks, the spiderlings begin to hatch. The female helps them get out of the cocoon by tearing it apart with her chelicerae. Little spiderlings move onto the spider's back. She carries them until the spiderlings begin to get food on their own.
Some species of female wolf spiders travel with their spiderlings on their backs. Gradually throwing off their spiderlings one by one using their hind legs. So she spreads her offspring over a large area of territory.
Wolf spiders do not attack humans or other creatures that are significantly larger than them. Some species of wolf spiders prefer to pretend to be dead: they fall on their backs and do not move until the threat has passed.
But in case of real danger they can bite the enemy. Their bite is poisonous and painful, but not fatal to humans. Most often, swelling and redness appear at the site of the bite, which soon disappears. General intoxication of the body is also possible, so if you are bitten by a wolf spider, it is better to consult a doctor.
Many people keep pets in their apartments. Some people get familiar cats or enjoy their pleasant company. Others prefer exotic or unusual animals - raccoons, capuchin macaques. Someone has tender feelings for, then terrariums are built in apartments and houses and special food is bought. For such pets, which we will get to know better today, the name “arthropods” is used. These are not ordinary forest or domestic spiders, but special wolf spiders that live in the gardens of the middle zone and are almost invisible during the day thanks to their natural camouflage. Let's find out more about wolf spiders - what these creatures are like, what to feed them at home, and what such an unusual and frightening neighborhood entails.
Wolf spiders: description
Their amazing camouflage ability keeps these creatures hidden from prying eyes. They are practically invisible in dense vegetation, make holes in secluded corners, and hunt only when there is no danger nearby. This spider looks unremarkable. 
It has a primitive body structure - the cephalothorax is used as the location of the organs of vision, mouth and respiratory organs. The internal organs of the spider are located in the abdominal part, and long jointed legs extend from it. Its color is brownish-gray, earthy, so the description of the wolf spider can be confused with a recluse spider. They differ only in a special spot on their back in the shape of a violin, which the wolf does not have.
The entire body of this arachnid is covered with hairs similar to wool. There are eight eyes on the head, two of which are especially large - the vision of this creature is much sharper than that of representatives of other subspecies. It needs a good ability to see over long distances for free hunting, since this spider does not weave webs, but catches prey by moving around the territory adjacent to its burrow.This spider has three claws at the tips of each segmented paw; they help it move faster across different surfaces and catch prey. The forelegs of males are much more noticeable than those of females, and they are three to four times smaller in size than females, since females are designed to carry and feed offspring.
Distribution and habitat
These arachnids live on all continents and in all countries, except for permafrost areas. The warmer the climate of the country, the higher the likelihood of meeting this creature there. Humidity is another favorable condition for wolf spiders, so they nest en masse in damp leaf litter and on rocks near water bodies. Everyone knows what they are, despite the fact that wolf spiders try to hide and remain unnoticed, and therefore live alone in dense bushes and flower beds, in heaps of stones, woodpiles, in old barns and warehouses.
Behavior and lifestyle
It is believed that this spider was called a wolf not only for the thick hair on its abdomen, but also for its habit of living and hunting alone, not by weaving trapping nets, but by real racing after a fleeing prey. It hunts mainly on small insects. Catches flies, beetles, other spiders and finds larvae laid by beetles. 
At night, these creatures sit in burrows and catch insects running past, and during the day, they move near the burrow on their own and, seeing potential prey, jump on it with all their weight, having previously attached the web to the place from which the jump was made. Wolf spiders eat their victims, pressing them to the ground or other surface with their front legs, which look like segmented harpoons. This is a predatory arachnid, so it can immobilize large victims by injecting a poisonous substance with its bite.
Did you know? This type of arachnid has such a strong maternal instinct that a female whose cocoon with her cubs has been taken away loses peace and can wander aimlessly for hours in search of it. If the cocoon cannot be found, she attaches any object similar to it in its place, that is, on the abdomen. Female wolf spiders have been known to replace the cocoon with tiny pieces of cotton wool or balls of cotton fiber to create the illusion of bearing offspring.
Female wolf spiders mate exclusively with males they like. Most often, mating takes place in the warm season - thus, in a temperate climate this process occurs in the spring, and in a tropical climate it occurs all year round. The male attracts the female's attention by swaying on his elongated front legs and slowly approaching her with a swaying gait. If the female decides that such a male is suitable for her, she helps him climb onto her back. If the male is small, the female turns her abdomen so that it is convenient for him to introduce sperm into her genitals using her genital organ (cymbium). 
Immediately after mating, the female begins to look for a cozy corner in order to settle down in it and begin to spin a cocoon for the fertilized eggs. She carries the eggs in the resulting multilayer ball for two to three weeks, while the baby spiders in them mature. This ball is attached to the female’s spinning organ, from which she secretes a web to strengthen the cocoon. The cocoon matures well only in sunny and warm weather, so the female looks for the warmest places for it and, due to the evaporation of moisture from the surface of her body, loses up to 30% of the total mass.
As soon as new spiders begin to hatch, the mother spider senses this, throws off her cocoon and tears it open, releasing the spiders from the web. She carries the offspring on herself for the next three to four weeks and feeds them until the babies begin to feed on their own. Depending on the size of the female, from forty to one hundred babies are placed on her abdomen - sometimes there are so many spiders that only the eyes remain free on the mother’s body.As a pet, this creature does not cause much trouble. Despite its slight poisonousness and nervousness, the spider moves by jumping only when it is about to attack a possible victim, and practically does not move along vertical surfaces due to the weak grip of its clawed legs. A glass aquarium with a volume of ten to twenty liters is quite suitable for its maintenance. To make the arachnid comfortable, it needs to be filled with soil mixture to a height of up to ten centimeters. The aquarium needs to be maintained at a constant temperature of 28-30 degrees - females especially need this warmth during the ripening of the cocoon. High humidity is another prerequisite for a comfortable stay for this pet. To prevent the air humidity in the aquarium from becoming equal to room humidity, it must be covered with cling film.
Important! Individuals that bore offspring during the warm season, as well as young spiders that appeared during the warm season, are able to overwinter. They pupate or simply lie down in dark, secluded places - it is better not to disturb such spiders in vain.
For home keeping, it is better to take a female than a male. Firstly, it is larger, so it will be more interesting for you to care for it. Secondly, it is less whimsical in its maintenance - it is not disturbed by temperature fluctuations of up to five degrees in both directions. In captivity, the female lives up to four years, while the male lives up to two years - the age of sexual maturity - and dies almost immediately after that. A female domestic spider can give birth to numerous offspring; captivity only benefits her in matters of nutrition and comfort, however, you need to be careful with her during the period of bearing the cubs, because she can bite. To do this, you will need to give her a male spider capable of reproducing. 
Kinds
In total, this spider family has more than two thousand species, which are divided into one hundred and sixteen genera. Among themselves, these species differ in the method of hunting - running or burrow hunting, and the time of hunting - daytime or night. The most common type is called Ampulian tarantula. This is a fairly large arachnid, reaching at least seven centimeters in length. Lives on the slopes of mountains and hills, loves to hide in fallen leaves and cover their burrows with it. Its bite is very painful, and for a long time it was considered poisonous. 
Among the species of wolf spiders that do not belong to tarantulas, they are often found in wooded areas, in private homes and in summer cottages. leopard spiders And earth spiders. The first ones are distinguished by a bright silver stripe on the body and their small size - only 0.5 cm. The second ones are slightly larger, their sizes reach one centimeter. They have similar habits and life expectancy. 
Another widespread species also belongs to tarantulas - this South Russian tarantula. It is not as large as the Ampulian one, only three centimeters, but it looks intimidating and is considered the largest arachnid in the CIS. In general, approximately eighty species of these creatures can be found in the middle zone. The rest live in tropical and subtropical regions. 
Did you know? The nervous system of this species of arthropod is better developed than the nervous systems of its other relatives. This is due to the fact that its hunting method is fundamentally different from that of a typical spider. While all other representatives of the order arthropods sit on their fishing nets or in burrows, waiting for the arrival of the victim, this tireless hunter runs and looks for his prey on his own, overtaking it quickly and suddenly. This method of hunting a wolf spider was first discovered in the 90s of the 19th century.
The importance of wolf spiders for nature and humans
As we have already said, at home an aquarium filled with soil mixture should be installed for the wolf spider. To prevent the soil from drying out, you can irrigate it from time to time without flooding your pet. Additionally, branches and leaves placed in the aquarium will only improve the living conditions of your pet. 
To ensure that the spider does not lack food, it needs to be provided with its usual diet - flies, beetles, larvae and mosquitoes. All this food is served to him in dried and crushed form. To entertain your pet and prevent his instincts from fading, you can introduce live prey into the aquarium. Cockroaches and crickets are suitable for this purpose. The more often you let live insects in, the healthier your pet will be.
Beware of the powerful fangs of the wolf spider - they are filled with poison, which it injects when it bites, so you don’t have to wonder whether this creature is poisonous or not. In general, these arachnids are peaceful and attack people only if they are disturbed. Depending on the amount of poison injected, the strength of the bite and the type of pet, different reactions develop. People prone to allergic reactions may develop severe swelling, accompanied by itching, redness and numbness of the skin around the bite site. The venom of some particularly large individuals can cause necrotic lesions, and with such bites it is better to go to the doctor to prevent necrosis of the soft tissue surrounding the bite site.
The most poisonous species these arachnids are Brazilian wolf spider, the consequences of a bite can be serious even for an adult healthy person, because the body reacts to its poison with excruciating pain.
Important! If the bite of this arachnid causes you fever and tissue numbness, immediately go to the clinic- You may need an antidote or at least qualified medical advice.
Spiders are very unusual pets. Despite the fact that they are very popular due to their unpretentiousness, small size and unusual appearance, many owners of warm-blooded pets are truly horrified when watching the movement of wolf spiders around the aquarium. 
Wolf spiders are quite calm and easy to keep, since, unlike other arachnids, they hide when a person appears, move poorly on vertical planes and generally behave quite quietly both during feeding and during the period of gestation of the cocoon with eggs. House spiders cannot be called friendly, but if you know the intricacies of care and what they feed on, and understand their habits, you can easily keep them both in a private house and in a small city apartment.
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The wolf spider is known for the fact that it does not weave a web to lure prey to itself, but chooses the tactics of tracking and attacking the victim (the wolf also hunts in the wild). This is where the name of this family of arachnids comes from.
The wolf spider belongs to the Araneomora type. As a rule, just such arthropods are found in temperate latitudes. Arachnids live for about a year.
Araneomorphic spiders are distinguished by their body structure. They have larger and more powerful paws with claws, which allows them to quickly move across the terrain and attack prey.
Finding an authentic description of a wolf spider is not easy. In nature, there are more than 2000 species, each of which has characteristic features.
But still, experts managed to derive general patterns in the description:
- Spiders have a dark color (ranging from gray to black). The shades depend on the climatic conditions in which they live. In some individuals you can find a pattern on the back. The colors of wolf spiders allow them to camouflage themselves well, posing as foliage or soil. This is especially valuable during hunting.
- The size of adult individuals is 2.5-3 cm. Moreover, females are larger than males.
- The entire body of the arthropod is covered with hairs.
- The paws, of which there are 8, are very powerful and well developed, which helps it move quickly and easily catch up with its prey. In addition, there are claws on the front ones (3 pieces), so it can easily move through mountainous terrain.
- The body is standard. Consists of the abdomen and cephalothorax.
- Spiders have 8 eyes, which are arranged in three rows. The front rows are very small, the second row is large, the third row is medium. Experts say that wolf spiders have excellent vision. They can see prey at a distance of 30 cm. However, no one is able to distinguish the shape of the insect.
Wolf spiders do not have blood. This function is performed by geolymph. The peculiarity is that it can change color. Outdoors it becomes blue-tinged.
Habitat
Wolf spiders can be found on all continents except Antarctica. The soil conditions there are not suitable for their existence.
Spiders live in meadows, thickets, forests, and rocky areas. Favorite habitats are areas where there is a high level of humidity. They make burrows in the soil in which they store their prey.
Nutrition and lifestyle
Wolf spiders do not live in families. Male and female individuals interact with each other only during mating. To do this, males dig a deep hole and weave it with cobwebs.
Wolf spiders are predators; they will never feed on plants (even if they are very hungry). They can hunt both day and night (thanks to their good eyesight).
The tactics of these arthropods during hunting may differ:
- they catch up with the victim and pounce on it;
- track for a long time;
- lured into their hole.
What does this type of spider eat? As a rule, the prey is small insects: aphids, cicadas, bedbugs, flies. Having overtaken its victim, the spider injects it with poison, paralyzing the insect for several minutes.
It is impossible to destroy or exterminate wolf spiders. Not many people know that they play a huge role in the ecosystem by destroying crop pests.
Rules for keeping at home
Wolf spiders have a rather specific appearance, and their behavior is always interesting to watch. That is why many arachnologists dream of having this species at home.
Such arthropods are not poisonous, so you should not be afraid of them.
- Spiders are quite large in size, so it is better to purchase an aquarium for them with a volume of 15-20 liters.
- Forest soil mixed with peat chips should be placed in the container. The layer must be at least 7 cm (maximum 12 cm).
- Pay special attention to the temperature, try to maintain it within 25-30 degrees. Spiders cannot tolerate low temperatures.
- The humidity level should be 80%.
The presented individuals are quite voracious. Their daily diet must consist of fresh insects: flies, crickets, mosquitoes, larvae. In addition, the aquarium is filled exclusively with drinking water (the liquid must be changed daily).
Remember, wolf spiders are predators, so you should not handle them to avoid being bitten.
Features of reproduction
Those specimens that live in temperate climates mate only in summer, while tropical subspecies mate all year round.
Having discovered an attractive female, the male performs a courtship dance. He raises his body a little, seems to stand on his hind legs, and begins to actively move his front legs. Then he slowly moves towards the female. If she is ready to mate, she turns around and exposes her abdomen to the spider. With his “girlfriend” in this position, he can easily climb onto her back.
At the end of the act, the female wolf spider digs a deep hole and begins to prepare a cocoon. Then he places the eggs there and additionally wraps them in a thick web.
After everything is ready, she throws the cocoon on her back and walks with it until the offspring appears. In order for the eggs to mature faster, the mother spider needs to spend more time in the sun. Many of them lose up to 30% of their mass during this period.
As soon as a tiny spider emerges from the egg, the female breaks the cocoon with her mouth and the offspring comes out.
The mother moves around with spiderlings on her back for several months. During this time, babies must learn to get their own food. As a rule, after the spiders leave the abdomen of the female, she dies. Only a few individuals manage to survive severe exhaustion.
Animal toxicity
The bite of a wolf spider is not fatal to humans. But it can cause an active allergic reaction.
Main symptoms:
- swelling of tissue at the site of the bite;
- redness;
- severe itching;
- short-term pain.
In this case, you need to apply ice to the bite site and take any antihistamine. There is no need to introduce any additional serums.
The venom of the tarantula is the most dangerous for humans. But even this is not fatal.
A non-poisonous spider never attacks people first. When danger is detected, it turns over on its back and pretends to be dead. It can remain in this state for quite a long time.
Arachnologists give interesting stories about wolf spiders:
- Sometimes there are so many eggs in the cocoon that they cover the entire surface of the spider. It has been noted that some females can carry up to 4 times their own weight.
- The nervous system of wolf spiders is very developed, which helps them track and wait for prey for a long time.
- If a female loses a cocoon with eggs, she experiences extreme stress and tries to find it for a long time.
- Scientists have not yet been able to create such a “cradle” under artificial conditions. Even the incubator doesn't help. The cocoon begins to rot and the eggs die.
Wolf spiders are an unusually interesting species of arthropod. Some experts believe that they have signs of intelligence. This version is confirmed by their behavior of spiders in bearing young and hunting for prey.
Many arachnologists like to keep arthropods at home. Small individuals have an unusual exotic appearance, the body is completely covered with hairs. The spider is not poisonous. But in the tropics you can find species of wolf spiders, after whose bites a person develops a severe fever.
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, the Latin name for wolf.
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The external structure of arachnids is different. In spiders, the body is divided into sections:
- elongated cephalothorax;
- wide belly.
Between the two parts of the body there is a narrow constriction. The cephalothorax is equipped with organs of vision and digestion. Spiders have several simple eyes (from 2 to 12), providing all-round vision.
Hard, curved jaws grow on the sides of the mouth - chelicerae. With them the predator grabs its prey. Chelicerae are equipped with ducts containing poison, which is injected into the body at the time of the bite. The first pair of limbs serves for defense during an attack.
The oral apparatus of arachnids is supplemented by a second pair - claws. The spider uses them to hold the victim while eating. They also serve as sense organs. The oral tentacles are covered with many villi. The hairs sensitively pick up the slightest vibrations of the surface and air, helping the spider navigate in space and sense the approach of other creatures.
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The question: how many antennae does a spider have is not difficult to answer. Arachnids do not have antennae.
There are 4 pairs of limbs on the sides of the cephalothorax. The comb-shaped claws on the hind legs are used for weaving webs.
It is visually easy to see what kind of cover spiders have on their bodies. They are protected by a durable chitinous shell. During the growth process, it periodically changes during molting.
Rice. 1 Spider – cross
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Source: https://obrazovaka.ru/biologiya/stroenie-paukoobraznyh.html
Features of the wolf spider
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 South Russian tarantula, otherwise called 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.
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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.
As the spider grows, it molts and grows a new, larger cover. 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
The life cycle length of different species of wolf spiders varies. 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. Females expecting offspring and young individuals go into hibernation.
Mating process
Mating games of this species of arthropod are possible only in warm weather, so spiders living in temperate climates mate in 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 the largest number of species of wolf spiders are found.
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 them.
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
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Internal structure of arachnids
Breath: pulmonary sacs + trachea, which have an exit to the outside on the abdomen in the form of special breathing holes.
Circulatory system: open - the heart is a muscular sac that pumps blood into the vessels.
Digestive system + excretory system: as we have already said, arachnids have external digestion, i.e. Food enters the body already semi-digested.
oral apparatus → esophagus → stomach → hindgut
Excretory organs: 1) cloaca - the final part of the hindgut, the organ of excretion and the outlet of the genital ducts.
2) Malpighian vessels
Nervous system: subpharyngeal ganglion + brain + nerves.
Organs of touch- hairs on the body, on the legs, on almost all the bodies of arachnids, there are organs of smell and taste, but the most interesting thing about a spider is eyes.
The eyes are not compounded, as in many arthropods, but simple, but there are several of them - from 2 to 12 pieces. At the same time, spiders are myopic - they cannot see into the distance, but a large number of eyes provide a 360° view.
Reproductive system:
1) spiders are dioecious; the female is clearly larger than the male.
2) lay eggs, but many viviparous species.
Arachnids also include scorpions and ticks. Mites are much simpler in structure; they are one of the primitive representatives of chelicerates.
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