Hobbies And Interests
Appearance
Wolf spiders are big spiders, ranging from 1/2 inch to 2 inches long, with thick, hairy bodies and long legs. They have three rows of eyes. The top row consists of two medium-sized eyes, the middle row has two large eyes and the third row is four small eyes. They are usually dark brown to gray with some lines or markings. The wolf spider's dull coloring means that it is well-camouflaged against predators and hard to detect by prey. Their bite is not usually toxic to humans, but it can become infected with bacteria.
Hunt
Wolf spiders are so named because like the wolf, they actively hunt and run after their prey. Instead of spinning webs to catch prey, they run and walk along the ground in search of food. Their good eyesight and sensitivity to vibrations assists them in their hunting activities. Wolf spiders eat small insects such as crickets, grasshoppers and ants, as well as other smaller spiders. They hunt in a wide range of environments, including wide-open grounds, dry vegetation, submerged vegetation and ponds. Some species hunt during the day while others hunt at night.
Habitat
Wolf spiders hunt and live in a wide range of habitats. They can be found in grasslands, forests and woodlands, cultivated gardens and private back yards all over Florida. Some wolf spiders dig holes for themselves while others hide under debris, such as small stones and log pieces. Those that do live in burrows, which are usually a couple of inches deep, dig them with their fangs.
Carolina Wolf Spider
The Carolina wolf spider is the largest wolf spider in the United States. Male Carolina wolf spiders are 3/4 of an inch long while female Carolina wolf spiders are about 1 inch to 1 1/4 inches long. Their cephalothorax, the top half of the body, is gray-brown and their abdomens have a dark stripe. Besides being bigger, female Carolina wolf spiders have a sparse covering of gray hair. Male Carolina wolf spiders have this hair as well but theirs is a lighter gray. They hunt for insects exclusively at night. After mating, female Carolina wolf spiders dig a hole and place an egg sac, sometimes more than one, in it. They guard the egg sac until the spiderlings emerge and scatter.