Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing wolf spiders. Called so because they actively hunt their prey, their similarities to their furry counterparts ends there. Wolf spiders are solitary creatures and while some do actively seek out food using their keen sense of vision, others are sit and wait predators. There are over 2,000 described wolf spider species and they can be found from arctic regions to the tropics. As long as there are insects to eat, wolf spiders can make their home there, though they tend to prefer meadows, grasslands, forests, and even desert-like places. Wolf spiders are considered ground spiders, however, they will take to a tree or may even cross water to hunt down a meal. Their main diet consists of all types of insect species, though the largest wolf spiders may even take small invertebrates like small snakes and mice. They do not spin webs to catch a meal. They use venom to subdue their prey, but this venom is not considered dangerous to humans. A wolf spider bite may lead to pain and swelling, though it isn’t fatal. Many people don’t ever see wolf spiders because they’re nocturnal. When they are encountered, they tend to run away at top speed, though their sight can be quite alarming.

Wolf spiders are often mistaken for tarantulas because they’re so dang big! In body length, these spiders range from a mere tenth of an inch up to 1.2 inches (3mm to 30mm)! That’s not including their legs. Wolf spider legs are often hairy, especially their first two pairs which may be spiny to help them capture prey. Many wolf spiders will turn over on their back after catching a meal to hold it in place with their legs while they bite. Their legs end in tiny claws much like tarantulas. Wolf spiders can also detect vibrations from the surrounding environment which may clue them in to a nearby meal or threat. They might be big, fast, and excellent at camouflage, but that doesn’t always protect them from predators such as lizards, birds, and rodents.

When a female wolf spider is ready to mate, she’ll lay a thread of silk covered in pheromones to alert nearby males. The males put on fancy mating displays for the lady before they mate. The male may perish shortly after this encounter as most wolf spider males don’t survive more than a year, but the ladies, who are larger, often live at least two years. They have to because they put a lot of effort into raising their kids!

Female wolf spiders lay hundreds of eggs which are then encased in a silken sac and held to the female’s abdomen with her spinnerets, or her silk producing organs. She’ll carry her eggs sac around until the babies hatch at which point they’ll crawl onto her back and remain there for upwards of six months while they grow. As they get large enough, they’ll drop off, ready to take on the world. Wolf spiders spend a lot of time in leaf litter, under rocks, and sometimes even in human-made structures. Some build burrows, like turret spiders, that may even come equipped with a trapdoor to hide them. They can be told apart from other spiders by looking at their eyes. Wolf spiders have eight eyes in three rows. The bottom row consists of four, small, similarly shaped eyes. Above these are large, forward facing eyes that give them a slight jumping spider appearance. And slightly above and beside these larger eyes are two more eyes that face towards the spider’s sides. Wolf spiders are often mistaken for other spiders like grass spiders, which we’ve talked about in a previous episode.

Thank you to our Patrons SpikeSpiegel93, Dad, and everyone else for their support of this channel! Thank you to Alterego, Smiles, and Eyeless for today’s request! For more facts on wolf spiders, check out the links below. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files!