Juvenile Wolf Spider or Barn Funnel Weaver?

[LadyShia77]

Both Carolina wolf spiders and barn funnel weavers live in my yard and I know they look similar. I have been hoping to catch a wolf spider for a while and am having trouble trying to identify this little guy. I hope the pictures are clear enough to be able to ID. The spider identifying apps I've tried keep giving me different answers. It was caught in my driveway. Thanks in advance.

 

[egyptiancrow]

this is not a baby, it is a fully grown male
the photos are a little blurry for me to see species

 

[LadyShia77]

My camera does not like to focus when it should and it's supposed to be a fairly decent camera. If it's a fully grown male then it's definitely not a wolf spider lol. That's main thing I was wanting to know. Thank you for confirming.

 

[Biollantefan54]

This is an adult male wolf spider in the genus Pardosa

 

[LadyShia77]

This is an adult male wolf spider in the genus Pardosa

I thought wolf spiders were generally bigger, though. This guy was very small. How do I tell wolf spiders from similar species? There are grass spiders and barn funnel weavers that are around this size and have similar coloration. I would like to find a female wolf spider if possible and find a Carolina wolf spider. I already let this guy go back out in my yard as I didn't know it was a wolf spider.

 

[Biollantefan54]

I thought Carolina wolf spiders were generally bigger, though. This guy was very small. How do I tell wolf spiders from similar species? There are grass spiders and barn funnel weavers that are around this size and have similar coloration. I would like to find a female wolf spider if possible.

Carolina wolf spiders are a lot larger. There are many different species of wolf spider across many genus’s. One way is their eye pattern, their pattern, general body proportions. After looking at them for a while they can be told apart with relative ease. To find a female Pardosa, walk through the yard and look at where your feet land. It’s generally easy to see them jumping around every time you step in the grass. Larger species are more easily found by shining a light at eye level in the grass at night. You can see their eyes reflect in the grass if you use a headlamp and look around, or a flashlight at eye level.

 

[LadyShia77]

Thank you for the information. I used to be easily spooked by wolf spiders, but now I have a fascination with them after learning more about their temperaments. I have always been fascinated with spiders, but keep living with people who are terrified of them lol. I would have a bigger spider collection besides jumping spiders if my bf wasn't so afraid of them. If I manage to catch another spider that resembles a wolf spider, I may ask your expertise again until I become more familiar with identifying them. I appreciate all of your help.

 

[CRX]

Thank you for the information. I used to be easily spooked by wolf spiders, but now I have a fascination with them after learning more about their temperaments. I have always been fascinated with spiders, but keep living with people who are terrified of them lol. I would have a bigger spider collection besides jumping spiders if my bf wasn't so afraid of them. If I manage to catch another spider that resembles a wolf spider, I may ask your expertise again until I become more familiar with identifying them. I appreciate all of your help.

We will always be here to help you.

 

[LadyShia77]

This is my newest catch. I'm assuming a wolf spider? This one seems slightly smaller than the one I caught before and would this be another male?

 

[Biollantefan54]

This is my newest catch. I'm assuming a wolf spider? This one seems slightly smaller than the one I caught before and would this be another male?

Yep! That is indeed another male wolf spider in the genus Pardosa. Pardosa are quite small, only a few other genus’s are smaller! They are very agile and hop around quite a bit

 

[LadyShia77]

Would that smaller mean younger? I read that male Carolina wolf spiders live for only a year after reaching maturity. Is that the same for these little guys? I was hoping to catch a female, but looks like I'm only getting males so far lol. I'm assuming females are a little bigger? Also, one last pic to confirm whether this one that I found under an old rug is a wolf spider as well and maybe if it is male or female. Thanks again.

 

[Biollantefan54]

Would that smaller mean younger? I read that male Carolina wolf spiders live for only a year after reaching maturity. Is that the same for these little guys? I was hoping to catch a female, but looks like I'm only getting males so far lol. I'm assuming females are a little bigger? Also, one last pic to confirm whether this one that I found under an old rug is a wolf spider as well and maybe if it is male or female. Thanks again.

Pardosa generally live about a year- 1.5 years. Both of them in your pics are adult males, they won’t get any bigger after their final molt so the size difference is just variation, not age difference. The females are about the same size, maybe a bit more plump. That is a wolf spider as well! I’m actually not sure what the genus is though, it isn’t Pardosa however.

 

[A cave cricket]

Looks like a fishing spider juvenile.

 

[LadyShia77]

I already released the first two. The last one I found under a rug I was trying to move and wasn't expecting (I also found a female jumping spider on the same rug lol. The rug is pretty good size and got left outside.). He definitely seems more docile than the slightly smaller ones and I noticed he is missing a leg as well. I'll probably keep him for a while. Thank you again for all of your help.

 

[Biollantefan54]

Looks like a fishing spider juvenile.

It’s definitely a lycosid, but they do look pretty similar!

 

[A cave cricket]

It's a R.rabida.
The bite hurts like hell.

 

[Biollantefan54]

It's a R.rabida.
The bite hurts like hell.

It’s not. It’s probably not a good idea to make guesses if you’re not sure.

 

[A cave cricket]

I didn't guess.

 

[Biollantefan54]

I didn't guess.

Stating it’s something it’s not is guessing. First you said fishing spider, then you said it was R. rabida. It’s neither of those. Throwing around random species doesn’t help anyone

 

[A cave cricket]

H.radaiata the patterns are the same, and the color pretty sure it's a juvenile