Wolf Spider

What is it about seeing spiders close-up that gives us the creeps? Especially those hairy and big spiders… like that Wolf Spider on your thigh. Heh, just kidding, let go of the chandelier and keep reading. Wolf Spiders (family Lycosidae) have eight eyes like most spiders but the central pair are much larger than the other six, giving its shaggy, fanged face an especially sinister aspect. Wolf Spiders are found in virtually every part of the world not covered with ice or snow, and their bodies can grow to just over an inch wide.

They are usually active at night and capture their pry by hunting rather than waiting in a web. Many type of wolf spiders are found in different environments, in summer they can be found in locations like woods, open grasslands and along lakes and streams. The life cycle of a wolf spider is interesting. The female spider produces an egg sac that contains over a hundred eggs that she attaches to the spinnerettes at the end of the abdomen. When the spiderlings develop, the female opens the sac and the spiderlings climb onto her abdomen, holding the hair on her body. They stay like this for a week after which they disperse.

Wolf spiders will only bite if they are provoked. Wolf spiders have eight eyes that are arranged in three rows with the first two comprising of four small eyes, the second containing two larger eyes and the third row containing two medium-sized eyes. Like all other spiders, wolf spiders also have four pairs of legs. There are a pair of leg like palps (sensory appendages located near the mouth) that are located in front of the walking legs and are used for sperm storage in males. The wolf spider is blessed with a disc that is located at the back of their eyes. This enables them to see at night.

Ugly Animals - Wolf Spider