Wolf Spider (Lycosa sp.)
Pricing: Dead (spread, as pictured): $30-$40. Live: $5-$20, depending on species.
Geographic Range: Almost Worldwide
View: Top Sex: Female
Size: 1-4 cm
Availability Notes: Various Lycosa species from the U.S.A. are available live seasonally.
The genus Lycosa is one of many genera of wolf spiders within the family Lycosidae. The genus Lycosa is large, containing many common wolf spider species, including the fabled European wolf spider (Lycosa tarentula). Dwelling on the ground, most Lycosa species are nocturnal and can be collected at night with the aid of a light. By day, they usually reside in a tunnel, or beneath stones and debris. Wolf spiders do not spin webs and are fast, solitary hunters, as their namesake suggests. They feed mainly on insects and other spiders. Males are smaller and frailer than females (female pictured). The female carries her egg sac as she travels and will later transport the hatchlings on her abdomen when they finally hatch. These spiders are easy to keep and rear in captivity, as they have healthy appetites. Unfortunately, the spiderlings must be separated as this appetite fuels cannibalism when prey is scarce. The wide variety of species within the genus means that there is a Lycosa species to fit almost any environment, except Arctic conditions.