To have eight eyes but to never move them?Yes, wolf spiders have eight eyes in three rows; no, not all eight are big. They have two big ones gleaming on the top of their head; two large ones on the front, the middle row, and four tiny eyes in a row below the large two eyes, all eyes arranged together called the cephalothorax.Even though the wolf spiders cannot move their eyes unless they change their body posture, they are also known for their keen eyesight. Shocking, right?To jump into more surprising facts about wolf spiders, read on! Let us look into their appearance, behavior, hunting habits, diet, and many more. Shall we start with the number of spider species that are in the world? To answer, there are about 40,000 of them. Among them, 2,300 species fall into the wolf spider family known as ‘Lycosidae’. Lycos is an ancient Greek word that means wolf. They are big, hairy, have eight legs, and have bulky bodies. Wolf spiders are black or brown with lengthwise lighter stripes across their bodies.After reading about the diet of wolf spiders, also check what do sharks eat and what do oysters eat?Do wolf spiders eat mosquitoes?Yes, wolf spiders eat mosquitoes. But they seem not too interested in mosquitoes when compared to other insects. The chief reason is not that they do not like the taste.The mosquito species is also quite fast for the wolf spiders. Guess the mosquitoes are not easy prey!Known as the sprinters of the spider world, wolf spiders do not weave webs. Spiders that do not spin webs! Wolf spiders are not keen on waiting for their prey to fall on their traps, the spider webs. Instead, wolf spiders hunt their prey; they chase and catch prey, turning them into a ball and injecting their venom to liquefy the internal organs.The wolf spiders are carnivores who hunt small prey like grasshoppers, crickets, ants, small insects, or animals, including other spiders. Like all spiders, female wolf spiders are bigger than male spiders. Some wolf spiders that are big in body size, the females, even hunt small vertebrates such as reptiles or amphibians.Often confused with tarantulas, wolf spiders are not from the same family as tarantulas. While their appearance looks similar, they are smaller and not as scary as tarantulas. So they should not be mistaken for them!Most wolf spider species do not create webs and are opportunistic hunters. They usually wait for passing prey which makes it more onerous for them to catch flying species. But whenever they hunt mosquitoes, a wolf spider will implement the principal method of using the element of surprise.Do wolf spiders eat cockroaches?Of course, wolf spiders eat cockroaches! Unlike other spiders, wolf spiders do not catch their prey in webs; they find food and hunt them. They like to feed on a variety of insects and yes, cockroaches certainly feature in the diet of wolf spiders.Wolf spiders are experts in hunting cockroaches as they are quicker and cunning than these insects. Cockroaches are also not powerful enough to escape wolf spiders. As cockroaches are not as agile-minded, they make ideal prey to a wolf spider and are really enjoyed as a meal by these animals.Pest control experts advise that wolf spiders will help us in exterminating cockroaches and other pests in our homes. The wolf spider is now the remedy for pest activity in the home! Using wolf spiders as a form of pest control in your home isn’t the best idea though as then you might need to take measures of pest control to control the wolf spiders!Still, the pointers to control wolf spiders outdoors is to clean up yard debris, mow grasses, and treat your space with effective insect killers. As wolf spiders are found virtually everywhere nowadays, along walls, under furniture, stones, landscape timbers, firewood, leaves, and other debris. It is necessary to take pest control measures everywhere especially wooded areas like lumber piles where the wolf spider burrows.When frightened or threatened, wolf spiders tend to bite. Fortunately, their bite is not poisonous to humans. But a wolf spider’s bite is painful causing mild pain, exhibiting some redness or swelling, that will all heal in several weeks. No need to worry! The bite of a wolf spider is rare and feels just like any other insects’ bite unless, you are allergic to a wolf spider bite, there is no problem.The wolf spiders come in a variety of different sizes but most of these creatures have a body size ranging between 6-8mm (0.24-0.31 in).Do wolf spiders eat scorpions?No, the scorpion is the predator here, and the wolf spider, the prey. Many species like birds, reptiles, rodents, and other animals eat wolf spiders.Wolf spiders may be hunters, but they are also hunted. Hunting wasps paralyze the spider with its sting, drag it to a burrow, and lay an egg on its body. And when the wasp larva hatches, the wolf spider is its starters.A Wolf spider is also called a ground or hunting spider. Wolf spiders are typically in camouflage colors of brown, orange, black, and gray. This makes it easy for them to take cover or hide in plain sight while hunting. Sometimes they can be of only one color, but customarily, they have some stripes or blotches.You can take a wolf spider as a pet because, in captivity, they seem to flourish. In addition, the wolf spider’s lifespan increases to about four years because they will be guarded against predators. By also providing them with the necessary, nutritious food, it is a guarantee that wolf spiders will be in seventh heaven in captivity.Now that we have seen the pros for the wolf spider let us focus on the pros and cons if we take a wolf spider as a pet. Wolf spiders are solitary, you would likely be bitten if you try to pick up or scare your wolf spider away. Taking care of another life is a huge responsibility. So unless you are ready to feed your wolf spider twice a day with all its other requirements of providing it a comfortable life, then do not try taking on a pet!What do baby wolf spiders eat?A baby wolf spider munches on super-small insects caught by its mother. Baby wolf spiders also depend on their mother for survival, till they get big and strong.Then they leave their mother’s back but unlike other spider species, baby wolf spiders do not feed on their live-mother.When the mating season begins in the spider groups, male spiders venture to court females by waving their pedipalps, their mouth appendages in the air, or banging them together. In a small minority of mating rendezvous, the female may have the craving to eat the male. This sometimes can transpire before they mate. After the mating, the female spins a round egg sac. She then attaches it to her abdomen, which helps us distinguish a female wolf spider when we see one.The young hatch inside, later emerge, and climb on mom’s back until they’re old enough to live on their own. The female wolf spider’s behavior of carrying their egg sacs is considered unique. A baby wolf spider is called a spiderling! While a female wolf spider has the ability to live for several years and male wolf spiders can only live for a year or less, never more than 18 months.Wolf spiders are known for their pouncing technique. The distance of their jump depends on the species type but still, it is considered impressive. Wolf spiders are also one of the fastest of all spiders, athletic creatures designed to hunt rather than weave traps. Wolf spiders are called the ‘chameleons’ of the spider world because of their camouflaging powers. Also, wolf spiders can communicate!Yes, by using sight, smell, and touch, they talk to one another with short purring sounds. Though the sound lasts for only a second, it can be heard up to 20 feet away. For communication, wolf spiders rub their legs. Code language, maybe?Wolf spiders come into our homes at night times in search of prey. Lights on the outside of your house attract insects which in turn attracts wolf spiders. One of the fascinating creatures is the wolf spider with its big, dark, scary look. If scary and cute can go hand in hand, then the impeccable suitability is forged for wolf spiders!Spiders are arachnids. Only 17 of 37 families of spiders use webs to seize their prey. Spiders will happily eat other spiders, one apt example is the wolf spiders. Cannibalism of individuals is regular among the species. The mating routine wolf spider is one more, wonderful example of spider cannibalism. Not that anything about cannibalism is wonderful.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what do wolf spiders eat then why not take a look at what do tree frogs eat, or wolf spiders facts.
To have eight eyes but to never move them?
