Rabid Wolf Spider - (Rabiosa rabida)

Alarming speed and size coupled with an unfortunate common name, the Rabid Wolf Spider is not likely to bite though its behavior gives the opposite impression.

Staff Writer (8/7/2017): Rabid Wolf Spiders are erratic, fast moving spiders that almost seem crazed (hence the name). They do not carry the Rabies virus and are considered harmless to people. They are aggressive in posturing and challenging people and animals, but are disinclined to bite unless backed into a literal and figurative corner. Running away is its preferred method of dealing with threats that don't retreat. They can be handled without incident (see photos anywhere online), but the handler must know what they are doing. Bites, if they do occur, are a bit painful, but are considered 'medically insignificant' according to academic and government sources. This means a bite heals on its own and does not require special medical treatment or a visit to the hospital.

Rabid Wolf Spiders are active hunters that chase down prey. They lie in wait sometimes for prey to pass close enough to catch them, but they do not spin webs and sit in them. They are wonderful ecological controls that keep pest insect numbers low thanks to their diet. Because they move around to find food, they sometimes wander indoors.

Rabid Wolf Spiders have two thick brown lines, or stripes, running down the sides of the head. The abdomen has one dark brown center line and two thinner brown lines on the sides of the tan body. At night, their eyes can reflect light in a way similar to dogs and cats, unlike other spiders. Shining a flashlight on a walking path can be a great way to find them in the dark.

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Details of the:
Rabid Wolf Spider

Category: Spider
Common name: Rabid Wolf Spider
Scientific Name: Rabiosa rabida

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Arachnida

Order: Araneae

Family: Lycosidae

Genus: Rabiosa

Species: rabida

Size (Adult, Length): 11mm to 21mm (0.43in to 0.83in)

Identifying Colors: tan, brown

Additional Descriptors: fast, erratic, scary, brown, grass, large, big, freaky, stripes, lines, biting, venomous, harmless

North American Reach (Though Not Limited To*): Alabama; Arkansas; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Nebraska; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Vermont; Virginia; West Virginia; Wisconsin; New Brunswick; Newfoundland and Labrador; Nova Scotia; Ontario; Prince Edward Island; Quebec; Mexico

* Keep in mind that an insect's reach is not limited by lines on a map and therefore may appear in areas/regions/states beyond those listed above.

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