Wolf Spiders Lycosa species
What do they look like ? Small to medium size spiders , up to the size of a 50c piece . The cephalothorax ( head ) usually has a pale stripe down the centre and radiating bands coming off this . The abdomen ( main body ) has various symmetrical lines and blotches . Colour is usually brown , but local variants occur that may closely match the colour of the soil on which they live .
Where do they live ? Extremely abundant but often unnoticed . Found in all habitat types . There are many species in the region .
What do they need to live , eat and breed ? Feed mostly on other invertebrates , especially insects and other spiders . Wolf Spiders have been recorded eating vertebrates , including small fish , frogs and lizards . They are well named - a Wolf Spider is an aggressive predator capable of sustained attacks to bring down animals larger than itself . Specific needs of particular species of Wolf Spider are poorly known .
When might I see ( or hear ) them ? Wolf Spiders are normally nocturnal , spending the day in a burrow or under logs and rocks . Some species roam widely at night , while others ambush from burrow entrance . The best tool for finding Wolf Spiders is a head torch . Wolf Spiders have a very bright ‘ eye-shine ’, but be warned - if you go out at night and start looking for them you ’ ll soon realise how many thousands there are – not an activity for arachnophobes !
What management actions affect this species ? Managing land to avoid soil compaction and maintain healthy populations of soil invertebrates may help Wolf Spider populations . Widespread use of pesticides to control insect pests is likely to have serious local effects on Wolf Spiders , and a host of other invertebrates .
How do they benefit the land I manage ? Because of their high population densities , Wolf Spiders consume huge numbers of pest insects . They are also valuable as a food source for many other native animals such as dunnarts , frogs and lizards . Because of the sheer number of burrows , Wolf Spiders are likely to significantly help soil water infiltration and nutrient cycles .
36