Wolf spiders can be found all over the worlds and are abundant in meadows and grasslands and in other areas where they can hunt insects as food. Males are usually smaller than females and can live only for one year or less while females can live for many years. Their color vary from brown, tan, grey to black. There are about 2300 species of wolf spiders and about 200 species live in the United States.
Size
Wolf spider size may vary based on genera. The spider size excluding its legs ranges from 0.4 inches or 10 millimeters to 1.38 inches or 35 millimeters.
Wolf spiders are known to be robust and agile with excellent eyesight, making them good hunters. They are considered small which make them fast enough to reliably chase their preys over short distances. They hunt alone and can also hide in the mouth of a burrow where they will wait for a passing prey.
Appearance
Wolf spiders have eight eyes distributed in three rows. The bottom row includes four small eyes while the middle row consists of two very large eyes. The top row has medium sized eyes.
The female wolf spider has the capability to carry her eggs through the spinnerets at the end of her abdomen. In this condition, the wolf spider is still capable of hunting.
The appearance of the wolf spiders is not eye catching so they can easily blend with their favorite habitat and use its camouflage for protection.
The wolf spider body consists of variegated pattern while its underside is usually light grey, cream or black and sometimes salmon pink provided with white or black markings. The sides of the wolf spider jaws have small raised orange spots. The head is high and convex.
Venom
A wolf spider bite is not lethal and is considered a minor bite which just results to local pain or itchiness. A few wolf spider bites may also result to nausea, rapid pulse, prolonged pain, swelling and dizziness.