Wolf Spiders

Common fox spider (Alopecosa pulverulenta)

Web: wolf spiders don’t make a catching web, but are active hunters that use their legs and jaws to immobilize prey.

Habitat: Occurs in open habitas such as gardens, grassland clearings in woodland,… . Can be frequent.

How to recognize:

  • cephalothorax (dark)brown, with a lighter midstripe
  • abdomen yellowish red to olive green, with clearly marked cardiac mark.
  • legs yellow/red, darkly annulated
  • ♂: darker colour, strong contrast between light midstripe and darker areas of the cephalothorax .

Looks similar to:

  • several other wolf spiders. Investigating the reproductive structures using a stereomicroscope gives a definitive identification.

Size

♀: 5-8 mm

♂: 6,5-11 mm

When?

♀: April till July

♂: April till July

Ground wolf spider (Trochosa terricola)

Web: Wolf spiders don’t make a catching web, but are active hunters that use their legs and jaws to immobilize prey. The Ground wolf spider hunts predominantly during the night.

Habitat: underneath rocks, litter, moss, in humid areas. 

How to recognize:

  • big, robust wolf spider
  • cephalothorax with typical light midband, with two dark stripes in the widened part
  • abdomen with cardiac mark that ususally doesn’t clearly stand out against the rest of the abdomen.

Looks similar to:

  • the three other Trochosa species in Belgium. The differences in the markings of the cardiac mark are not a reliable determination characteristic. Investigating the reproductive structures using a stereomicroscope gives a definitive identification.

Size

♀: 7-14 mm

♂: 7-9 mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: throughout the year

Pirate otter spider (Pirata piraticus)

Web: wolf spiders don’t make a catching web, but are active hunters that use their legs and jaws to immobilize prey.

Habitat: occur in water-rich habitats such as around stagnant water (ponds, small lakes) and slow-running water (streams,… ) or at least in a moist environment (eg wet meadows).

How to recognize:

  • cephalothorax usually with a white border
  • abdomen with a white line (sometimes interrupted) along the cardiac mark.
  • legs light to dark green.

Looks similar to:

  • other Pirata species. The white markings (line) along the cardiac mark are reasonably reliable, but can sometimes be missing. That is why investigating the reproductive structures using a stereomicroscope gives a definitive identification.

Size

♀: 4,5-9 mm

♂: 4-6,5 mm

When?

♀: May till August/September

♂: May till August/September

Spotted wolf spider (Pardosa amentata)

Web: wolf spiders don’t make a catching web, but are active hunters that use their legs and jaws to immobilize prey. The Spotted wolf spider hunts predominantly during the day.

Habitat: occurs in open habitat such as parcs, gardens, fields,… Mostly in rather humid conditions. Can be very frequent.

How to recognize:

  • cephalothorax (dark)brown, with a lighter midstripe that is often “chalice-shaped” in front
  • abdomen dark with an unclear drawing, but often two dark spots stand out
  • legs yellow/dark annulated
  • ♂: darker colour, with palps almost black.

Looks similar to:

  • several other Pardosa species. That is why investigating the reproductive structures using a stereomicroscope gives a definitive identification.

Size

♀: 5,5-8 mm

♂: 5-6,5 mm

When?

♀: April till July

♂: April till July