Where To Find Tigrosa and Hogna Wolf Spiders in The Wild?

[bond819]

Hey there everyone. hope you're all doing well! I am very new to this forum but have been obsessed with spiders ever since I was a child, i'd always keep the invasive trochosa ruricola as a pet all the time. I am from Ontario, Canada. Specifically the Toronto area and I have encountered 90% of the species of spiders in my area throughout my life. Although one that seems to evade me is the hogna carolinensis, i've read online that they are widespread through the United States and Southern Canada but I have never encountered one before, i've tried everything from flipping over rocks, logs and leaf litter in the forest to going out at night with a flashlight, unfortunately the only species of wolf spider I run into is the Trochosa ruricola (rustic wolf spider). Now regarding the tigrosa genus, specifically tigrosa georgicola and tigrosa helluo, i've never ran into a georgicola but have found 2-3 helluo (wetland giant wolf spider) over the last 2 years, i'm not sure why they seem to be so rare. Would anyone be able to provide me with some advice on how I could find these spiders in the wild, they are meant to be extremely common where I live but I just can't seem to find any at all, not sure what I am doing wrong, maybe I am going out at the wrong time or using too strong of a flashlight? Not sure as I don't have much experience here and would greatly appreciate any insight and tips. I also feel like I suck at spotlighting so would love to get more advice on how to do it properly cause anytime I try I always run into dew drops at the tips of grass instead of actual spiders. I have attached a photo of one of the helluos which I managed to catch and keep as a pet for over a year.

 

[Brewser]

Maybe a Colored Beam Flashlight, Red / Green / Ultra Violet would be advantageous for Nocturnal Outings.

 

[CRX]

Hey there everyone. hope you're all doing well! I am very new to this forum but have been obsessed with spiders ever since I was a child, i'd always keep the invasive trochosa ruricola as a pet all the time. I am from Ontario, Canada. Specifically the Toronto area and I have encountered 90% of the species of spiders in my area throughout my life. Although one that seems to evade me is the hogna carolinensis, i've read online that they are widespread through the United States and Southern Canada but I have never encountered one before, i've tried everything from flipping over rocks, logs and leaf litter in the forest to going out at night with a flashlight, unfortunately the only species of wolf spider I run into is the Trochosa ruricola (rustic wolf spider). Now regarding the tigrosa genus, specifically tigrosa georgicola and tigrosa helluo, i've never ran into a georgicola but have found 2-3 helluo (wetland giant wolf spider) over the last 2 years, i'm not sure why they seem to be so rare. Would anyone be able to provide me with some advice on how I could find these spiders in the wild, they are meant to be extremely common where I live but I just can't seem to find any at all, not sure what I am doing wrong, maybe I am going out at the wrong time or using too strong of a flashlight? Not sure as I don't have much experience here and would greatly appreciate any insight and tips. I also feel like I suck at spotlighting so would love to get more advice on how to do it properly cause anytime I try I always run into dew drops at the tips of grass instead of actual spiders. I have attached a photo of one of the helluos which I managed to catch and keep as a pet for over a year.
View attachment 485394

Bugs in general are dying off and may never recover. Its a sad reality of this world

 

[TheraMygale]

I will assume you know of inaturalist?

that would be your best bet on which area to look.

if Hognas hunt from burrows, you’ll need to tickle holes. And be patient.

Carolina Wolf Spider (Hogna carolinensis)

Hogna carolinensis, also known as the Carolina wolf spider, is usually regarded as the largest of the wolf spiders found in North America. The body length of females is typically 25 millimetres (0.98 in), and the body length of males is typically around 19 mm (0.75 in). Members of this species...

www.inaturalist.org

 

[aaarg]

^ iNat is super helpful, especially with the seasonality chart for each species

try a headlamp instead of a flashlight? 'too bright' is not an issue, but the angle of the light beam can be - try changing the height you're holding the flashlight.

i'm not sure i've ever seen H. carolinensis in the wild (lots of other Hogna species), but Tigrosas are super abundant everywhere i've been (and are very easy and fun to keep as pets)

 

[bond819]

I have been using inaturalist this whole time actually, unfortunately not many people in my area use it so it's not helpful for me (very little observations for this species) in fact it shows zero observations for the hogna carolinesis in ALL of canada. For the tigrosa helluo it shows just a couple over the course of the last 10 years in my area (Mississauga, Ontario) as well sadly and for the tigrosa georgicola it shows none surprisingly. You mention Tigrosas being super abundant, may I ask where you are from? @aaarg

Bugs in general are dying off and may never recover. Its a sad reality of this world

But aren't the species of spiders I mentioned super common all over the world?

What do you guys think of flipping over rocks/logs inside a forest for finding Tigrosas? I've been doing this the past few days for hours on end and have had zero luck as well, only found centipedes and isopods and some beetles and salamanders

 

[Brewser]

What do you guys think of flipping over rocks/logs inside a forest

When Flipping & Rolling Rocks & Logs, Be sure and Place the Rocks and Logs back in they're original spot.
With as little Disturbance as Possible.

 

[aaarg]

i can't recall finding many wolf spiders under rocks, but that's a good way to find some other spiders! the most reliable method i've used to find wolf spiders is going out at night and looking for eyeshine. as winter creeps closer, this becomes more difficult.

unfortunately iNat is not great for areas without many people using iNat. do you make observations of your own?
you'll probably have better luck expanding your search area in the map view, and searching for genera instead of species. wolf spiders are often difficult to ID to the species level on just a photo, so a lot of them are left at just Hogna or Tigrosa.

re: my location, i've found lotsa Tigrosa in North Carolina, Virginia, and northern Illinois. i occasionally see/saw Hogna in NC and VA, but can't remember seeing many in IL.

happy hunting!

 

[TheraMygale]

I’d try looking at point pelee. And surrounding islands. Places where there is a lot of migration activity. Food attracts predators. And the climate there is obviously warmer.

places with big tree roots.

 

[CRX]

I’d try looking at point pelee. And surrounding islands. Places where there is a lot of migration activity. Food attracts predators. And the climate there is obviously warmer.

places with big tree roots.

I was smoking weed (medicinal) with a girl one time, against these big tree roots in the forest, and some MASSIVE spider ran across both of us and we freaked the fk out. We didn't see what it was because it was dark, but it was huge. I figure it had to be a Hogna carolinensis

 

[TheraMygale]

I was smoking weed (medicinal) with a girl one time, against these big tree roots in the forest, and some MASSIVE spider ran across both of us and we freaked the fk out. We didn't see what it was because it was dark, but it was huge. I figure it had to be a Hogna carolinensis

Tree roots are the BEST place. And near the trunk of the older trees. I have seen some cavities, wow, the size of the webbing… just not always the spider. It probably goes down deep.

plus, if op is looking now, in canada, its wintering time. Not going to be the easiest time of year to look for spiders in canada.

 

[bond819]

When Flipping & Rolling Rocks & Logs, Be sure and Place the Rocks and Logs back in they're original spot.
With as little Disturbance as Possible.

Ofcourse, I always grew up doing this, I know how important it is for the ecosystem to maintain itself.

i can't recall finding many wolf spiders under rocks, but that's a good way to find some other spiders! the most reliable method i've used to find wolf spiders is going out at night and looking for eyeshine. as winter creeps closer, this becomes more difficult.

unfortunately iNat is not great for areas without many people using iNat. do you make observations of your own?
you'll probably have better luck expanding your search area in the map view, and searching for genera instead of species. wolf spiders are often difficult to ID to the species level on just a photo, so a lot of them are left at just Hogna or Tigrosa.

re: my location, i've found lotsa Tigrosa in North Carolina, Virginia, and northern Illinois. i occasionally see/saw Hogna in NC and VA, but can't remember seeing many in IL.

happy hunting!

You are right about the cold weather, it has been around 12 degrees celsius these past few days but it doesn't seem to stop other species of spiders from roaming about after dark, I've managed to find tons of nursery web spiders, dark fishing spiders and rustic wolf spiders (Trochosa ruricola) but sadly not a single tigrosa or hogna carolinesis
I actually went out to a park today and managed to spot around 10 of the rustic wolf spiders all within 15 minutes, which is making me wonder if it's actually my location which is the issue, maybe they are just super uncommon in the Mississauga/Toronto area of Ontario? Regarding the eye shine, did you wear a headlamp when going out at night?
Regarding iNaturalist, you are absolutely spot on, I live in a very populated city so it's not the best but there is really only 5-6 tigrosa helluo observations in my whole city and ZERO for any other tigrosa species. I even checked cities neighbouring my city such as Toronto, Hamilton, Waterloo and they all had zero as well, I really wonder what is going on here.

re: May I know the exact spots where you found those in NC and VA as long as they're public property, perhaps I'll try my luck there if I ever end up going to those states in the future.

I’d try looking at point pelee. And surrounding islands. Places where there is a lot of migration activity. Food attracts predators. And the climate there is obviously warmer.

places with big tree roots.

Point pelee is a 4 hour drive away from me
Here's my exact location. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=132052&taxon_id=321683 Would you perhaps know of any other parks I could visit where i'd have a better chance? I've already been to all the places listed in iNaturalist and found nothing.

I was smoking weed (medicinal) with a girl one time, against these big tree roots in the forest, and some MASSIVE spider ran across both of us and we freaked the fk out. We didn't see what it was because it was dark, but it was huge. I figure it had to be a Hogna carolinensis

Ya could have been hogna or dolomedes tenebrosus.

Tree roots are the BEST place. And near the trunk of the older trees. I have seen some cavities, wow, the size of the webbing… just not always the spider. It probably goes down deep.

plus, if op is looking now, in canada, its wintering time. Not going to be the easiest time of year to look for spiders in canada.

Where exactly do you find these type of trees? Do you go to the woods after dark? We don't have bears or wolves around here but we do have a lot of coyotes and racoons so I'm a bit scared to actually go inside the woods after dark therefore i've just been looking on the floor of the pathways surrounding the woods. I am going to send a few photos and tag the places that I have searched and maybe you guys can tell me if it's the area i'm looking at which is the problem.

 

[aaarg]

re: May I know the exact spots where you found those in NC and VA as long as they're public property, perhaps I'll try my luck there if I ever end up going to those states in the future.

too many specific sites to list/remember, many have been on private property. Nanatahala National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway are probably where the bulk of my public-land spider-hunting took place, but that's a very large area. most of my experience in Virginia is in a suburban area where night-hiking isn't really an option, but I've seen several Tigrosa in the daytime/evening, or on private land at night.

NC mountains are a great place to go nighttime spider hunting, there are some really cool animals down there.

 

[TheraMygale]

Where exactly do you find these type of trees? Do you go to the woods after dark? We don't have bears or wolves around here but we do have a lot of coyotes and racoons so I'm a bit scared to actually go inside the woods after dark therefore i've just been looking on the floor of the pathways surrounding the woods. I am going to send a few photos and tag the places that I have searched and maybe you guys can tell me if it's the area i'm looking at which is the problem.

I would go during the day and look for webbed burrows. I don’t do much night exploration because i get up very early for work.

these trees are just any tree really. Old. That you can see roots coming from the ground.

i prefer day time exploration because i can see the webbing. You can tickle the holes with a tiny stick, or put a bug in the webbing. That can get a relply.

i find forests that have a small creek, or lake, with old growth leafy trees, have the best findings. Natural reserves, mountains, regional wildlife parks. You want a forest that has AMPLE springtime flowers. A forest that has been depleted of vegetation by deer, will have less activity because nothing is feeding early pollinators. Its a balance.

healthy thriving forest: more wildlife.

its a shame all those golf clubs in your area. Near the river would be a prime location to look for anything really.

you might need to get out of town a bit. Its possible your specific region does not have this species. Sometimes big garden centers have strange insects because they import a lot from more southern areas. I always look for mantis eggs in garden centers.

abandonned buildings that are surrounded with vegetation.

some forests near a railroad.

a botanical garden.

Log and rock turning is great. But its not always where every species is. Youre not likely to find an agriope under a log. Study the spider. Look in inaturalist where people in usa find their species. You will get clues.

when i find salamanders in spring, its only in specific forests that have everything needed. You get to know where youre more likely to find them just by looking at a picture of a forest.


Its a Sherlock thing. You ready have the curiousity and adrenaline from the hunt. You might just need to be ready to explore further.