Spider wolf at home. Wolf spider: photo of appearance and danger to humans. Female and offspring: interesting facts

The wolf spider is one of the most common subspecies of spiders on earth. It is distributed throughout the world, and the number of varieties exceeds several thousand. Let's find out what this spider looks like, is it dangerous, and is it suitable for home keeping.

Where does it live?

This type of arachnid is common on all continents, except for areas where there is constant frost. And the warmer the country, the more chances to meet this insect. Another favorable factor for the settlement of spiders is humidity. Therefore, they prefer to nest on rocks near lakes or on wet sheets. But they are also found in the following places:

  1. Shrubs.
  2. Flowerbeds.
  3. Sheds.
  4. Warehouses.
  5. Heaps of stones.
  6. Overgrown grass.
  7. Reeds.
  8. Small holes and depressions.

Size and body structure

The insect is an expert in marking and is not visible in dense vegetation. They make holes and hunt only when there are no dangerous predators nearby.

The structure of the body does not differ from other spiders - there are eyes, airways and a mouth with jaws on the cephalothorax. The internal organs are located in the abdomen. The paws are long and jointed. Color - brown-gray, similar to a hermit spider. But there is one difference - the hermit has a spot on his back that looks like a violin, which the wolf does not have.

The body is covered with black hairs, which are similar to wool. The number of eyes is eight. Two of them are big. The wolf has sharp eyesight, better than other insects. This helps to catch prey, the wolf does not weave a web. He runs after prey and catches it. In hunting, the claws located on the claws of the paws (3 claws on each) help him. Thanks to this, the spider moves quickly. Males are 4 times smaller than females.

The sizes of the largest individuals reach 10 cm. But most often there are small individuals (3 centimeters in length).

In the photo above, the wolf spider, it fully corresponds to the description.

Varieties of the wolf spider

There are over 2,000 species of venomous wolf spider families. They are divided into 116 genera. Species may have some differences in terms of hunting - running or weaving a web, nocturnal or daytime activity. To a greater extent, all species live in the tropical climate zone. But more and more representatives of this species appear on the territory of Russia.

Apulian tarantulas

Occurs most often. The insect is large, the size is more than 7 centimeters in length. It lives near the slopes of mountains and hills. Hides in fallen leaves, uses them to cover minks. The bite of a tarantula is painful, and was previously considered poisonous. But scientists managed to invent an antidote.

Another common subspecies. It is smaller in size than the Apulian (does not exceed 3 centimeters), but is considered the largest representative in the CIS. They live in the tropics, but migrated here as well.

They reproduce by mating. Males send signals that attract females. After mating, the female begins to weave a cocoon, where she lays her eggs. She does this in several layers to give the shape of a ball. At first, the female carries the cocoon with her, firmly attaching it to the spinning organ. Mating takes place in summer, in temperate climates, and all year round in tropical climates.

After a few days, the spiderlings hatch. The female feels it herself and breaks the cocoon with fangs. According to the external description, the spider family looks the same as the female. The wolf is a spider that carries children on its back until they can get their own food. A large individual is capable of carrying more than 40 children. There can be so many of them that the only free place of the female is the eyes.

If you find a wolf in your garden or at home, it's best not to kill it. Find a safe way to drive the specimen away. The thing is that they are useful for the environment. Spiders protect crops from pests and insects. But if children live in the house, or they often walk on the playground, it is advisable to get rid of them (poison is very dangerous for a child).

What does it eat?

All types of spiders have external digestion. They immobilize the prey, inject food juice into it and suck up the liquid inside the insect. This process may take more than a day. Large individuals are able to feed on ridge animals, such as mice. Small ones prefer insects, larvae and beetles.

flies

Flies are the most favorite delicacy. They often get caught in the web. But the wolves just catch them, thanks to their speed. Flies themselves are often caught in the net (which wolves make not for hunting, but to protect the nest).

beetles

Spiders catch beetles less often. The reason is that the prey can have a thick protective shell and be difficult to bite through. But for individuals with large fangs, like an adult wolf, this is not a problem. Beetles are an excellent food choice for house spiders in an aquarium. But it is better to give them in dried form.

insect larvae

Another favorite spider treat. When hunting, they can find a nest with larvae. The spider will have a real feast, because the number of individuals in such nests is large. Wolves suck juice from larvae.

small spiders

Spiders often eat their own kind. They choose small-sized individuals (no more than 1 centimeter). If you choose large individuals, it becomes difficult to digest them.

Is it dangerous for humans?

Any existing spider is considered poisonous. Another issue is the concentration and amount of poison, as well as the strength of the fangs. The wolf has very powerful fangs, it can easily bite through human skin. But the wolf spider is peaceful, and will attack only if it is frightened.

Depending on the type of spider, a person may have a different reaction to the poison. Allergy appears in most cases. Severe itching and swelling develops, sometimes the affected area becomes numb. But if the individual is large, necrotic lesions may appear. Soft tissue necrosis appears. In both cases, you need to immediately go to the doctor. The venom of the wolf is quite concentrated, and there is a risk of death.

The most dangerous species is the Brazilian wolf spider. If it bites a person, there will be severe pain and fever. A fatal outcome is possible (the poison is so concentrated that it can kill an adult elephant). But if you provide help in time (find the necessary antidote), you can save yourself from the bite of any spider. A key role is played by a person's tendency to allergic reactions.

Can you keep at home?

Yes, you can. An excellent home for a spider will be an aquarium. It is filled with soil mixture. So that the earth does not dry out, it should be irrigated often, but the water should not get on the pet. To make your pet more comfortable, you should put leaves and branches in the aquarium. Fresh water is a must.

The spider needs to be fed regularly. Provide him with a full diet of various insects (constantly change the menu). It is advisable to serve food crushed and dry. But if you want to entertain your pet and develop his instincts, you can throw live prey into the aquarium. A great option is cockroaches.

Sometimes the spider refuses to eat. Reason 4:

  1. He is not hungry.
  2. Going to shed.
  3. Containment conditions are violated (not enough fresh air enters the aquarium).
  4. You are giving your pet little water or poor quality food. Try to give him live prey.

The female is more suitable for keeping than the male. She is larger. It is very interesting to look after and watch how she will hunt. In addition, the female is not so whimsical to the conditions of detention, and easily tolerates temperature changes (it can survive even in mild frost). And the life expectancy of the female is twice that of the male (4 years, when the male has only 2).

If you plant a male with a female, then you can raise a whole offspring of children. But here you have to be careful. During the mating season, spiders are very aggressive, especially when it comes to gestation. If you make a mistake, there is a risk of being bitten. And remember, to create the comfort necessary for reproduction, it is necessary that the spider likes to live in a cage, and the food is varied (bugs, flies, larvae).

The wolf spider is an interesting inhabitant of our planet. It is only dangerous if disturbed. And if a person loves such insects, you can take him as a pet. The main thing is not to violate the rules of keeping, then there will be no risk of being bitten.

The wolf spider does not weave a web for hunting, it tracks down prey, pursues 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 highly developed eyesight and sense of smell.

They have eight eyes arranged in three rows. The bottom row consists of four small eyes, the middle one - of two large ones, the top one - of two small ones, which are located on the sides, above the middle eyes.

Wolf spiders are gray, black or brown. The color helps them to disguise themselves from other predators and ambush prey.

They feed on small spiders, flies, caterpillars, bears, insect larvae and other creatures of suitable size.


Wolf spiders live all over the world, except for 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 types of wolf spiders dig minks with the help of chelicerae (claw-whiskers - mouth appendages). The walls inside the burrow 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 legitimate prey.


Mating time depends on the season and where the spider lives. Spiders living in tropical climates mate all year round, while those living in temperate climates mate in summer or late summer.

The process begins with courtship: the male approaches the partner, vibrating his abdomen and shaking his forelimbs. If the female is ready to mate, she turns to the male and folds her front paws, 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 spins a cocoon from the web, where she lays her eggs. When the eggs are laid, she wraps the cocoon in several more layers of web and attaches it to her spider webs.


After two or three weeks, the spiderlings begin to hatch. The female helps them out of the cocoon by tearing it apart with her chelicerae. Little spiders move to the spider on the back. She carries them until the spiderlings begin to get food on their own.

Some types of female wolf spiders travel with spiders on their backs. Gradually shedding their spiderlings one by one with the help of their hind legs. So she settles her offspring over a large area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe territory.


Wolf spiders do not attack humans or other creatures that are significantly larger than them. Some types 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, therefore, in case of a bite from a wolf spider, it is better to consult a doctor.

Wolf spiders got their name from the habits similar to the behavior of real wolves. Representatives of this family of large arthropods are nocturnal and hunt without the help of a web, driving the victim. The family has nearly 2.5 thousand species. These arthropods do not live only in ice. They have no one to catch. Even in Greenland, spiders from the Lycosidae family are found, but only on the relatively warm coast, where soil and insects can be found.

Family Description

Wolf spiders are large arthropods that do not build webs. Some species reach a size of more than 3 cm. Representatives of the family have a primitive body structure. All internal organs are located in a large abdomen. The following functions fell to the share of the cephalothorax:

  • vision;
  • movement;
  • breathing;
  • touch.

And spider wolves eat it.

body structure

All species of the family are night hunters. Because of this, "wolves" have a well-developed vision. there are usually 4 pairs on the cephalothorax, which are arranged in 3 rows:

  • lower - 4 small eyes;
  • medium - 2 very large eyes;
  • upper - 2 medium-sized eyes.

Large eyes are adapted for night hunting. Sensory hairs located on the paws and body are responsible for the sense of touch in the "wolves".

On a note!

The eyes glow in artificial light at night and the animal can be spotted with a flashlight.

The paws of the representatives of the family are of medium length, but thick and powerful, like those of others. They provide animals not only with the opportunity to run, but also to jump. Wolf spiders jump not as far and high as. "Wolves" only need to be able to catch prey.

All these arthropods use the spider glands to weave the walls of their lair. They are not used as trapping nets. Females wrap eggs in a cocoon. They carry a cocoon with them. To prevent the cocoon from dragging along the ground, the spider keeps its abdomen elevated.

Interesting!

A female with a brooding cocoon is able to hunt independently.

The family Lycosidae has no defense mechanisms against enemies, except for protective coloration. The photo of wolf spiders clearly shows that their main color is gray. There are brown or black species. Individuals with a light color may come across. But this is either a young spider after molting, or a cave species where color does not matter.

Interesting!

Cave spider kaya not only has a light color, but also completely lost its eyes.

Differences between male and female

Wolf spiders have developed sexual dimorphism, but "in the opposite direction." In animals, males are usually larger and stronger than females. There are few species where the relationship is inverse. Wolf spiders are one such exception. The male is smaller, with a darker color, but well-developed pedipalps. The best development of pedipalps in males is explained by the fact that in male spiders, reproductive organs are located on these limbs.

breeding process

Tropical species are able to mate throughout the year. Inhabitants of temperate latitudes begin the breeding process in summer. The male takes the initiative. Having found the female, he lifts up the third pair of legs and, shaking them, approaches the spider. If the applicant suits that, she folds her paws and lies down, allowing the male to climb onto her back. To make it easier for the male to mate, the spider raises her abdomen.

On a note!

After mating, the spider finds shelter and weaves a cocoon for eggs. After laying eggs, the female braids the cocoon with several more layers of cobweb and attaches it to the spinning organs.

Like the "namesake" mammals, wolf spiders take care of their offspring. A few weeks after laying, young offspring are hatched. The spider gnaws through the cocoon and helps the cubs get out into the wild. After hatching, the spiderlings are carried by the female. One individual can have 40-100 babies. The amount depends on the type of spider and its size.

Interesting!

The maximum number of spiderlings is carried by females of the genus tarantulas.

Lifespan

The lifespan of wolf spiders depends on their size. Representatives of small species live for about six months. Large spiders can live longer than 2 years. Males do not survive the first year. Spiderlings and fertilized females go into hibernation.

Habitat

One of the largest genera of the family lives in the dry steppes -. Most wolf spiders prefer places with high humidity. Such places are forests near water bodies. You can find wolf spiders:

  • under stones;
  • in the bushes;
  • in the meadows;
  • in fallen leaves.

For shelter, arthropods of this family prefer fallen leaves and forest litter, which are always abundant near water.

On a note!

The lifestyle, photo and description of wolf spiders are almost the same as those of another family - more poisonous.

Because of this, “wolves” are often killed, although they are practically harmless to humans and perform the functions of stabilizers in the number of invertebrates in nature.

Nutrition

Among the family there are sedentary species living in holes, and vagrant. But all of them actively hunt for beetles, their larvae and other flightless insects. He will not refuse to eat if he manages to catch her. Burrowing species can hunt not only at night, but also during the day. But during the day they grab only the prey that itself runs past the mink.

Interesting!

Representatives of this family grab prey in a jump. Before jumping, the arthropod attaches a web to the place from which it will jump. Thus, the animal insures itself against falling from a branch or from anywhere else.

Human danger

Real spiders are all poisonous, otherwise they would not be able to absorb food. But few of them are dangerous to humans. Representatives of the Lycosidae family cause fear with their size and appearance, so they are not without reason included in. But whether or not wolf spiders are poisonous is a relative question. Among them are species of varying degrees of toxicity. It is customary to be afraid of tarantulas, which even gave rise to the tarantella dance, according to legend.

In fact, the toxicity of this family of arthropods living in temperate climates is greatly exaggerated. The bite causes local irritation, characterized by short-term pain, itching and redness.

Tropical species are more dangerous. Their bites cause:

  • edema;
  • prolonged pain;
  • dizziness;
  • nausea;
  • rapid pulse.

The bite is also not fatal, but to alleviate the consequences, you should consult a doctor.

Interesting!

In the past, some fatal bites have been attributed to South American species. Further research showed that arthropods belonging to other families were responsible for the deaths.

The wolf spider is known for not weaving a web to lure prey to itself, but choosing the tactics of tracking down and attacking the victim (the wolf also hunts in the wild). Hence the name of this family of arachnids.

The wolf spider belongs to the araneomoric type. As a rule, 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 around the terrain and attack prey.

Finding a true description of the wolf spider is not easy. In nature, there are more than 2000 species, each of which has characteristic features.

But still, experts managed to deduce general patterns in the description:

  1. Spiders have a dark color (ranging from gray to black). Shades depend on the climatic conditions in which they live. In some individuals, you can find a pattern on the back. The coloring of wolf spiders allows them to camouflage well, posing as foliage or soil. This is especially valuable when hunting.
  2. The size of adults is 2.5-3 cm. Moreover, females are larger than males.
  3. The entire body of an arthropod is covered with hairs.
  4. The paws, of which 8 pieces are very powerful, are well developed, which helps to move quickly and easily catch up with their prey. In addition, there are claws on the front ones (3 pieces), so it easily moves through the mountainous terrain.
  5. The body is standard. Consists of the abdomen and cephalothorax.
  6. Spiders have 8 eyes arranged in three rows. The front ones are very small, the second row is large, the third is medium. Experts say that wolf spiders have excellent eyesight. They can see prey at a distance of 30 cm. At the same time, no one is able to distinguish the shape of an insect.

Wolf spiders don't have blood. This function is performed by the geolymph. The peculiarity is that it can change color. In the open air becomes with a blue tint.

Habitat

Wolf spiders can be found on every continent except Antarctica. There, the condition of the soil is not suitable for their existence.

Spiders live in meadows, thickets, forests, rocky terrain. Favorite habitats - an area where there is an increased level of humidity. In the soil, they equip minks for themselves, in which they store their prey.

Nutrition and lifestyle

Wolf spiders do not live in families. Individuals male and female interact with each other only during mating. To do this, males dig a deep hole and braid it with cobwebs.

Wolf spiders are predators, they will never eat plants (even if they are very hungry). They can hunt day and night (thanks to good eyesight).

The tactics of these arthropods during hunting may differ:

  • catch up with the victim and attack her;
  • long track;
  • lured into their hole.

What does this type of spider eat? As a rule, prey are small insects: aphids, cicadas, bedbugs, flies. Overtaking its prey, the spider injects poison into it, paralyzing the insect for several minutes.

It is impossible to destroy and exterminate wolf spiders. Not many people know that they play a huge role in the ecosystem, destroying pests of crops.

Rules for keeping at home

Wolf spiders have a rather specific appearance, 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.

  1. Spiders are very large in size, so it is better to purchase an aquarium with a volume of 15-20 liters for them.
  2. In the container you need to place forest soil mixed with peat chips. The layer must be at least 7 cm (maximum 12 cm).
  3. Pay special attention to the temperature regime, try to keep it within 25-30 degrees. Spiders do not tolerate low temperatures.
  4. The humidity level should be 80%.

The presented individuals are quite voracious. Their daily diet must consist of their fresh insects: flies, crickets, mosquitoes, larvae. In addition, the aquarium is filled exclusively with drinking water (you need to change the liquid daily).

Remember, wolf spiders are predators, so you should not pick them up in order to avoid bites.

Reproduction features

Those specimens that live in a temperate climate mate only in summer, tropical subspecies - year-round.

Having found an attractive female, the male performs a mating dance. He raises his body a little, as if he stands on his hind legs, begins to actively move his front legs. Then slowly goes to the female. If she is ready to mate, she turns around and exposes her abdomen to the spider. With this position of the “girlfriend”, he can easily climb on her back.

At the end of the act, the female wolf spider digs a deep mink and begins to prepare a cocoon. Then he places the eggs there and additionally wraps them with a thick cobweb.

After everything is ready, she throws a cocoon on her back and walks with it until the offspring appears. In order for the eggs to ripen faster, the mother spider needs to spend more time in the sun. Many of them during this period lose up to 30% of their mass.

As soon as a tiny spider emerges from the egg, the female breaks the cocoon with her mouth, the offspring comes out.

With spiders on her back, the mother moves 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.

The poisonousness of the animal

The bite of a wolf spider is not fatal to humans. However, it can cause an active allergic reaction.

Main symptoms:

  • swelling of tissues at the site of the bite;
  • redness;
  • severe itching;
  • prolonged pain.

In this case, you need to attach ice to the bite site and take any antihistamine. No additional serums are required.

The tarantula venom is the most dangerous for humans. But even it does not lead to death.

A non-venomous spider will never attack humans first. When danger is detected, he rolls onto his back and pretends to be dead. In this state, it can stay for quite a long time.

Arachnologists give interesting stories about wolf spiders:

  1. 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 weight.
  2. The nervous system of wolf spiders is very developed, which helps them to track down and wait for prey for a long time.
  3. If a female loses a cocoon with eggs, she experiences severe stress and tries to find it for a long time.
  4. Scientists have not yet been able to create such a “cradle” under artificial conditions. Not even an incubator helps. The cocoon begins to rot, the eggs die.

Wolf spiders are an unusually interesting species of arthropods. Some experts believe that they have signs of intelligence. In confirmation of this version, their behavior of spiders bearing cubs and hunting for prey testifies.

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 the bites of which a person begins to have a severe fever.

The wolf spider is a representative of arachnids from the araneomorph family. It does not weave a web, and its hemolymph, which replaces blood, acquires a blue tint under certain conditions. Settling in gardens and orchards, these predatory arthropods help the owners of household plots in many ways - they destroy a huge number of harmful insects that can cause serious damage to the crop.

Characteristic

As you can see in the photo, the wolf spider has a primitive body structure - it is divided into the cephalothorax and abdomen. The covers are usually dark and painted in black, brown or dark gray. Light individuals are extremely rare. Due to their color, wolf spiders are able to perfectly disguise themselves - they almost completely merge with the environment.

The representatives of this family have pronounced sexual dimorphism: females are much larger than males, while the latter have darker integuments, and the pair of forelimbs is much better developed. The front legs are used by males to attract the attention of females and during mating.

As for vision, wolf spiders have relatively good eyesight. They have 4 pairs of eyes arranged in 3 rows: on the bottom row there are two pairs of small eyes, in the middle - a pair of the largest, in the top - two side eyes, which are slightly higher than the middle pair.

This is interesting! Thanks to good eyesight and a well-developed sense of smell, wolf spiders are able to detect a potential victim from a rather impressive distance - about 30 cm. But it is believed that these creatures are not able to distinguish between shapes!

The relationship between the organs of the body of the wolf spider is provided by a transparent hemolymph, which acts as blood. It has one feature - as soon as the spider goes out into the open air, the hemolymph becomes blue.

Kinds

The family of wolf spiders is quite large - it includes more than 2 thousand species, which are united in 116 genera. At the same time, representatives of each species hunt in their own way. Some can be active during the daytime, looking for a potential victim for several hours. Others prefer to forage at dusk. There are also passive wolf spiders that will peacefully wait for the approach of the victim right in their hole.

The most famous types of wolf spiders include:

  1. Apulian tarantulas are rather large arthropods, whose body size can be about 7 cm. Representatives of this species prefer to settle on the slopes of the mountains, where they dig their holes and frame the entrance to them with a roller of fallen leaves. For a long time they were considered very poisonous, and in order to save their lives after being bitten, it was necessary to start a fast dance.

    On a note! This is how the Italian folk dance, the tarantella, was born!

  2. The second most famous wolf spider is also a tarantula -. Representatives of this species are recognized as the largest spiders living in Russia. The body length of adult males is approximately 2.5 cm, females - 3 cm. South Russian tarantulas are painted in dark brown, brown-red or black. They live in burrows, from which they try not to stray far even during the hunt.

Lifestyle

Wolf spiders prefer to lead a solitary lifestyle and interact with each other only during the mating season. They dig holes for themselves and entangle their walls with their own cobwebs. And for hunting, they do not need a trapping net - they catch up with prey by jumping or simply catching up.

The diet of these representatives of the spider kingdom includes:

  • flies;
  • beetles;
  • small spiders;
  • springtails;
  • insect larvae.

Reproduction and development

Wolf spiders that live in temperate regions mate in the summer, while those that belong to tropical species mate year-round. The male, noticing the female, begins to give enticing signals - he rises on his hind legs and, shaking his front legs, slowly approaches her. If the “boyfriend” is to the liking of the female, she turns her abdomen towards him and folds the front pair of legs, along which the male climbs onto her back.

After mating, the female wolf spider retires to a quiet place, where it begins to weave a silk cocoon for future offspring. She places eggs in it, puts several more layers of cobwebs on top and, after the cocoon acquires a spherical shape, attaches it to the edge of her abdomen. The female carries the clutch on herself for 2-3 weeks.

After the specified time, tiny spiders begin to emerge from the eggs. At this time, the female breaks the cocoon with her mouth organ, helping the offspring to get out. The babies climb on their mother, and she wears them on the body until they learn to get their own food.

Female and offspring: interesting facts

  1. Females of some species can carry a huge number of spiderlings, sometimes they cover the entire body, only the eyes remain free.
  2. In order for the development in the egg to proceed faster, heat is necessary. Therefore, the female tries to spend as much time as possible under the rays of the sun. As a result, her body loses a large amount of moisture, which often leads to a loss of 30% of weight.
  3. If the female suddenly loses a cocoon with eggs, she will experience severe stress. She can wander for hours in search of the missing offspring. There were situations when females, instead of the missing cocoon, clung to their abdomen an ordinary piece of cotton wool. But the most incredible case occurred with a spider of the species Pardosa riparia - having lost her masonry, she bore a cocoon belonging to a larger species of spiders. It turned out that someone else's cocoon was four times larger than her own.

Are these spiders dangerous?

Wolf spiders are mildly venomous arachnids and are not aggressive. They only attack when they feel threatened. Their bite may be accompanied by symptoms such as:

  • redness;
  • prolonged pain.

Important! But the consequences can be more serious and occur after the bites of tropical species. Symptoms will be as follows: prolonged intense pain, swelling in the affected area, nausea, dizziness, headaches. In this situation, a visit to the doctor is required!

However, in those cases when the wolf spider encounters a serious opponent, he prefers not to attack, but to pretend to be dead. He very quickly takes the pose of the defeated, turning the lower side of the abdomen up, and freezes. Despite the fact that this position of the body is far from the most convenient for arthropods, the wolf spider can stay in it for quite some time. And as soon as the threat passes, he immediately “comes to life”, quickly turns over on his paws and leaves the danger zone with lightning speed.