Wolf spider (sadly dead)

[dpastern]

From a few months ago, this fella was in our laundry for about 24 hours before I took this shot. He wasn't very well (I presume old age) when I initially found him, by the time I took this shot he had died.

Dave

[Marios]

Nice pic but I hate spiders..

:face:

[dpastern]

I have a deep arachnophobia, but I've learnt to deal with it by learning more about these wonderful animals. A lot of field time really does help appreciate and understand them. I'm not to the point where I can handle the bigger spiders, but smaller spiders like Jumping Spiders no longer bother me and I can handle them.

[GeoffW1]

He looks a greybeard

[dpastern]

yes, he looked quite old. I just left him be to his own devices in the laundry, he wasn't doing any harm to anyone!

Dave

[gregbradley]

Aren't Wolf spiders stripped?

I have them down at my dark skies observatory. They are different to Tarantulas. Faster and can be slightly aggressive if provoked.

They can get large. I thought they were slightly poisonous.

Greg.

[dpastern]

Nope, they do not have stripes (well, no Wolf spider I've ever seen has stripes!).

Tarantulas and Wolf spiders are NOT related. One is a mygalomorph (primitive spider - Tarantula), and the other is an araneomorph (modern spider - Wolf spider). They hunt differently and use silk very differently. Wolf spiders are far more efficient and successful hunters, and far less aggressive too. A dog can be aggressive if cornered - it's simply self defence.

Huntsman (and redbacks!) are very placid spiders, it's rare for them to bite unless you are being very rough with them and hurting them.

Any spider can be aggressive if provoked, most Wolf spiders will happily do their own thing with minimal interaction with humans. Mygalomorphs are very aggressive as a rule - it's the fear vs flight process that's heavily bred into them at a genetic level. Funnelweb spiders are a good example of this. Wolf spiders have excellent eyesight, mygalomorphs don't - they rely on touch and vibrations hitting their hairs/aural nerves.

Poisonous is a wrong term. Venomous is correct :P And all spiders are venomous, to varying degrees. mygalomorphs tend to bite multiple times, and inject heavier dosages of venom as a general rule. Most mygalomorphs' venom seems to affect humans/primates far more than other mammals too. Why this is the case is a mystery, since we're not their primary food source!

Cheers

Dave

edit: mygalomorphs tend to have larger and heavier fangs too, so the bite wounds are more painful than their modern cousins.

[gregbradley]

This is the one I see:

http://www.spiders.com.au/wolf-spider.html

They are usually hiding or sitting on a wall but I have seen them rear up exposing their fangs if for example you poke a stick at one. One time there was one on the end of a stink pipe that I walked near and he reared up ready to strike.

The do act mostly though like a Tarantula and the ones at my place can get very large like 2/3rds the size of your hand for a big one.

I just looked up the difference between venomous and poisonous and you are quite right, they are venomous as they inject venom.

Greg.

[dpastern]

Interestingly, never seen one like that (either in Sydney or Brissie). There are many sub species of course. Well, poking a stick at one is provoking it! I mean, if someone hit you with a big stick, you'd probably get cranky and have a go at them!!!

The size sounds about right for a large female - they get around that size here in Brissie where I live too.

Tarantula's are far more aggressive. As are mouse spiders, trapdoors and funnelweb spiders. One thing to consider - spiders generally rely on their hearing for prey. Each hair on a spider's body is directly connected to an aural nerve, so they are highly sensitive to vibrations. I've heard stories of wolf spiders making a run at you, and I've seen and had it happen to myself - they're not really going for you, they're attracted to the sound. Wolf spiders have excellent vision - for a spider. It's still very poor when compared to humans. I simply step out of their way or make a loud noise and they decide to go in the opposite direction.

Cheers,

Dave