wolf spider

[Kaitty]

how do you tell the difference between a male wolf spider and a female

 

[KUJordan]

with Lycosids, it is very difficult to tell sometimes- even as adults. male wolf spider palps are not as distinctive as are other spiders'. there are certain ways to tell though. generally, if you catch one out and about it is most likely a male anyway, and male wolf spider legs are normally proportionally longer than females of the same species. if it is a male Rabidosa sp. wolf spider, leg I will be nearly jet black and disproportionally long while the rest of the body is tanish yellow. if you can get a good enough look at the ventral side of the spider's abdomen you should be able to see the the opening to the female sex organs just posterior to the cephalothorax. you may just get lucky though, and find a male wolf that has some abnormally large palps for his species and it will make the job easier. good luck and i hope that some of this helps!

 

[Kaitty]

thankyou very much, i have just taken some photos, but i wont be able to post them until later. but with the palps, both of mine have long ones but only one of them has little ball things on the end of them, does it make a difference?