GARDEN FRIEND

Our Good Garden Friend
Photo Taken in My Garden
Wolf Spider
 Pordosa milvina (?)

The large wolf spider, pictured above, was photographed while  running through our garden. It is a female about the size of a fifty cent piece, without the sac. That big light-colored sac she is always hauling around is full of Wolf Spider eggs.


Ms Wolf Spider knows when the eggs have reached maturity. At that point she rips open the silk sac and out spills about a hundred babies -- that quickly crawl on her back -- sometimes positioning themselves in layers so they have enough room for everyone.  They ride on her back for about a week and then she releases them so they can fend for themselves. 


Female Wolf Spiders are known for their care of their offspring.

If you like to work outside, especially in a garden, you undoubtedly have become acquainted with this friend.of the natural world. There are 2,500 species world wide.

They mainly live outdoors but occasionally work themselves into a home. They are shy and will run from you especially if confronted. They rarely bite but if they do so it is not considered serious unless you are allergic. 

The spider's diet includes flea hoppers, insect eggs, crickets, locusts, ants and other spiders.  Overall spiders are beneficial to the ecosystem. 

When we know the behavior of an animal, such as a spider, we can feel comfortable when we meet them in nature. 

RESOURCES:

1) University of Michigan Museum of Zoology,  Wolf Spider