Wolf Spider

[SandyMuffinCakes94]

Does anyone know good literature on these guys i have 2 insect field guides but it doesn't do much justice. I found a couple up here in AK and id like to know more info on them. I think i have a female one and she dug herself a burrow and now she enclosed herself in it, do you think these species up in alaska hybernate or something? and i found this other kind but he just mysteriously died dunno why.

The picture i took is not the one i have but it is exactly what she looks like.

 

[jsloan]

<do you think these species up in alaska hybernate or something?>

In colder climates, with shorter summers, it can take two seasons for some lycosid species to reach maturity (the same species might live for only one year in warmer regions). Immature spiders will overwinter in underground burrows, under insulating leaf litter, under tree bark, etc. Even if the air tempteraure is very cold, say -30C, it can still be a few degrees above freezing at ground level under several feet of snow. I don't know how active lycosids might be under those conditions, but they can certainly survive the winter as juveniles to emerge the following spring and grow to adulthood, reproduce and die before the following winter.

BTW, did you know that some spiders have a type of "anti-freeze" in their blood, which allows them to be active in temperatures a little below freezing? Linyphiids will sometimes spin their first spring webs in footprints in the snow.

 

[SandyMuffinCakes94]

I just wanted to make a little update if anyone was interested, i still have a female wolf spider , i had males but they wouldnt really eat and they seemd to die quick, also i keep their tanks with no heat and she does just fine. Aggressive as hell too. Does anyone know if they prefer certian insects? i tried meal worms cut in half with guts gushed out and i tried crickets the same way.. maybe they dont eat for winter or something.

Also regarding anti-freeze thats badass im def going to collect more specimens once summer gets here. and gotta find thoes darn jumping spiders!!