Branched out into Wolf Spiders (Lycosidae)

While I was collecting pill bugs (Armadillidium nasatum mainly) I found several wolf spiders (Lycosidae). All summer I kept seeing a large wolf spider usually walking on the ground away from me mowing the yard, or while I was collecting feeders. She came running along today, right to where I was collecting the pill bugs.

As I was using my specimen vac to collect the pill bugs, I went ahead and picked her up as well for a few photos. Oddly enough my wife thought I was keeping her, and seemed alright with that, so I didn't bother to tell her any different. Typically I have to sort out several wolf spider slings from my pill bugs, but after that I went ahead and kept 5 of them (if I kept them from the start it would been two dozen, too many for sure though).

The large girl is 2.5" to 2.75" counting her legs in overall size (white images) she seems to prefer to be close to my hand and will lay next to my thumb as seen in her last photo, next is a 2"+ one (green images), and the last small one is a bit over 1". The one with the egg sac is about 1", and the slings are 1/4" or smaller.

The large girl








The other girl







The small one





Close-ups of the small one, the holes are sewing needle holes





The girl carrying her egg sac (the red spot is the plastic shelf below her container, that is a sewing needle hole)


Some of the various slings that got collected with the pill bugs


A close-up of the sling in the middle area of the photo above

The slings are so cute!  :wub:  I'll occasionally run into one of these guys in our apartment, but I've never bothered to keep one. I always catch and release them outside, I think I have enough spiders for now.  :lol:

Very cool, the first three spiders seem to be Tigrosa helluo,  the female with the egg case seems to be Pardosa mackenziana, and the small ones also seem to be a species of Pardosa.

ashleenicole said:

The slings are so cute!  :wub:  I'll occasionally run into one of these guys in our apartment, but I've never bothered to keep one. I always catch and release them outside, I think I have enough spiders for now.  :lol:

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I think so too I release many things I find inside to the outside as well, with many objections from my family lol. I have over a dozen spiders now so I will start sorting out species at least the best I can, and keep just a few total.

All About Insects said:

Very cool, the first three spiders seem to be Tigrosa helluo,  the female with the egg case seems to be Pardosa mackenziana, and the small ones also seem to be a species of Pardosa.

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Thanks for the ID's. I didn't realize I had so many in that small patch of yard. Looking at the differences I'll have to see if I can find more of the Tigrosa helluo ones, as they tend to be more common here (and the ones I enjoy more).

CosbyArt said:

I think so too I release many things I find inside to the outside as well, with many objections from my family lol. I have over a dozen spiders now so I will start sorting out species at least the best I can, and keep just a few total.

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and keep just a few total. yea that is the way it always starts next thing you know everyone is complaining and they take away your catch cups. LOL I started with a couple local trapdoor spiders  total in 2009 which which led to a couple local tarantulas that exploded to over 500 spider lings I am now down to 3 different species of tarantulas which number 36 total tarantulas and 2 trapdoors and a long list of bugs that I am banned from especially centipedes.(Thanks to a 5"centipede escaping 3 times) I am not allowed to keep a bug that is smarter than me. LOL

I am with you the only thing better than a affordable bug is one you can catch yourself in the yard. those are some nice finds especially the one with a egg sac.

Tonypace2009 said:

and keep just a few total. yea that is the way it always starts next thing you know everyone is complaining and they take away your catch cups. LOL I started with a couple local trapdoor spiders  total in 2009 which which led to a couple local tarantulas that exploded to over 500 spider lings I am now down to 3 different species of tarantulas which number 36 total tarantulas and 2 trapdoors and a long list of bugs that I am banned from especially centipedes.(Thanks to a 5"centipede escaping 3 times) I am not allowed to keep a bug that is smarter than me. LOL

I am with you the only thing better than a affordable bug is one you can catch yourself in the yard. those are some nice finds especially the one with a egg sac.

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Nah, I think they like to complain more than anything else. So far I've about taken over the so called mudroom/entryway with my various containers, nets, beating sheet, tools, bug vac, etc. and nothing is ever said about that - just whenever I bring in a new species as a pet.

Seems like you have plenty left, it is great to be able to find local ones to keep, as it tends to make them more special. It would be great to find such spiders local, best I can do is find them at the local pet store.

I hear you about the banned list - mine is just cockroaches and mealworm cultures so far. The mealworms was from my culture got stored at the bottom of my "bug" shelf and somehow got knocked a bit and thousands escaped, as the lid got popped and the substrate/medium made a ramp for them to run off for at least 24 hours before I noticed. It took over a month of me vacuuming the room for weeks daily, and finding them along the baseboard with my tweezers until we finally seen the last one (about 6 months ago).

Roaches are on the banned list here too. A few months ago I was finding green roaches I believe to be banana roaches in the house and was accused of breaking the bug ban.I just don't understand the fear of roaches. But I have found no one goes into the spider closet so there is hope of sneaking a few things in.

Alright it is true  Hi my name is Tony and  I have a bug addiction

Tonypace2009 said:

Roaches are on the banned list here too. A few months ago I was finding green roaches I believe to be banana roaches in the house and was accused of breaking the bug ban.I just don't understand the fear of roaches. But I have found no one goes into the spider closet so there is hope of sneaking a few things in.

Alright it is true  Hi my name is Tony and  I have a bug addiction

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Sorry to hear that, as they would be so much better than the alternative like crickets and such. I've found with crickets I can keep them breeding and sustaining their colony, only if I use very few to the point I have to buy more when it's cold outside for my pets.

Interesting to hear you have some green roaches locally, and I can imagine the talk blaming you for bringing them in the house.

Living in the city I find the Oriental cockroaches outside quite often, and lately several other nymphs that look almost like a Turkish red runner roach (looking at photos online it appears to be Turkestan cockroaches - strange). I occasionally get one mixed in with anything I'm collecting outside especially at night (usually from tree bark off the ground), so far none have made it inside.

Ha, I've thought of doing that so many times. Just add in some roaches to a order, and keep them on my shelves where no one would be the wiser. I haven't as I've be told if I ever get any all my critters will be gone.