Karadag Nature Reserve. Wolf spider: characteristics of the family. Features of behavior of the Wolf Spider: is it poisonous?

Spider wolf- a sprinter in the world of arachnids. It does not spin webs, but instead stalks and attacks its prey like a . If you've seen this spider near your home, the encounter was probably memorable. Some people find them beautiful and unique, while others tremble at the sight of them.

Wolf spiders can be mistaken for tarantulas because they have thick, hairy bodies. Although they look menacing, they are useful and harmless organisms. Their diet consists of many pests that can enter people's homes.

Origin of the species and description

Wolf spiders or ground spiders or huntsman spiders are members of the family Lycosidae, the name comes from the ancient Greek word "λύκος" meaning "wolf". This is a large and widespread group.

Wolf spiders got their name in honor of the wolf’s habit of attacking prey in a whole pack. Initially it was believed that these insects also attack in swarms. This theory has now been proven wrong.

There are over two thousand species included in 116 genera. About 125 genera occur in North America, about 50 in Europe. Numerous varieties are found even north of the Arctic Circle.

The evolution of spiders has been going on for 380 million years. The first spiders evolved from crustacean ancestors. More than 45,000 have been described so far existing species. Fossil diversity rates account for a larger proportion than would be predicted by existing arachnid diversity on this moment. The main stages of evolution include the development of spinnerets and the release of webs.

Video: Wolf Spider

Among the ancient terrestrial arthropods, trigonotarbites, representatives of the extinct order of arachnids, stand out. They have many characteristics identical to spiders, including being terrestrial, breathing, and walking on eight legs with a pair of foot pedals near the mouth. However, it is unknown whether they had the ability to create webs. Trigonotarbides are not true spiders. Most of their species have no living descendants.

Appearance and features

Most wolf spiders are small to medium in size. The largest individual is about 2.5 cm long and its legs are about the same length. They have eight eyes arranged in three rows. The bottom row has four tiny eyes, the middle row has two huge eyes, and the top row has two medium-sized eyes. Unlike other arachnids, they have excellent vision. The sensual hair on their legs and body gives them a keen sense of touch.

Flashing a beam of light towards a wolf spider produces an amazing glow caused by the light reflecting from the eyes back to its source, thus creating a "glow" that is easy to notice.

Because spiders rely on camouflage for protection from predators, their coloring does not have the bright, provocative colors of some other spider species. External colors correspond to the favorite habitat of a particular species. Most wolf spiders are dark brown. The hairy body is long and wide, with strong, long legs. They are famous for their speed of movement. They can be easily identified by the number and location of their eyes. The jaws are prominent and strong.

Wolf spiders have a primitive structure:

• the cephalothorax performs the functions of vision, food absorption, breathing and is responsible for the motor system;
• the abdominal cavity contains internal organs.

Life expectancy depends on the size of the species. Small species live for six months, larger species live for 2 years, sometimes longer. Fertilized females or born spiders survive the winter.

Hogna is the largest genus of wolf spiders, with over 200 species found on all continents. Many smaller genera of wolf spiders live in pastures and fields and feed on smaller prey while playing important role in natural population control that keeps the number of insects in close proximity to wolf spiders.

Where does the wolf spider live?

Wolf spiders can live anywhere except Antarctica. Some species are found on cold, rocky mountain tops, while others live in volcanic lava tunnels. They can be found in deserts, tropical forests, in meadows and suburban lawns. One species has even been found in wheat crops, feeding on pests such as aphids.

Some species of wolf spiders live in underground burrows, while most are found in green natural landscapes. They can often be found hidden in areas of the yard that provide spiders with cover and protection, including:

• in leaves and around plants or shrubs;
• in tall or dense grass;
• under long-sitting heaps and stacks of wood.

Unlike their four-legged namesakes, wolf spiders do not hunt in packs. They are lonely wolves who don't want to meet people. Spiders of the genus Pirata are often found near ponds or streams and have a V-shaped pale marking on their back. They run on the smooth surface of the water without diving and hunt insects on the surface of the water. Burrowing wolf spiders (Geolycosa) spend most of their lives in burrows and have heavy front legs that are used for digging.

If one is inside the house, it's likely they've come to escape extreme temperatures outdoors or because they're chasing another insect indoors. Wolf spiders try to move unnoticed through rooms at floor level. They do this by crawling along walls or under furniture.

What does a wolf spider eat?

Wolf spiders do not spin webs to catch their prey; they are true hunters and detect potential food visually or by vibration with their sensitive hairs. They often set up ambushes and pounce on their prey on the sly or give it a real chase.

Their menu may vary between insects such as:

• grasshoppers;
• ants;
• others;
• cicadas;
• moths;
• caterpillars;
• cockroaches;
• mosquitoes

Some huntsman spiders pounce on prey when they find it or even chase it short distances. Others wait until the prey passes nearby or sit down near the hole. Once wolf spiders catch their prey, they either mash it into a ball or inject it with venom, turning the poor thing's internal organs into a smoothie. They eat their victims by pressing them to the ground or other surface with their paws. The spider can immobilize large victims by injecting a toxic substance.

The limbs of spiders have 48 knee bends, that is, each leg has 6 joints. The wolf spider will inject venom if constantly provoked. Symptoms of its bite include swelling, mild pain and itching.

In the past, necrotic bites were often attributed to certain South American species of wolf spiders, but research has shown that the problems that occurred were caused by bites from other genera. Australian members of the species have also been associated with necrotic wounds, but careful examination of the bites also showed a negative result.

Features of character and lifestyle

Wolf spiders live alone. Most of the species spend time on the ground. The dark, speckled colors of their bodies help them blend in with decaying vegetation when they hunt or hide from predators. They sometimes dig burrows or make holes under rocks and logs to live in.

Some members of Lycosidae, such as H. carolinensis, make deep burrows in which they hide most of the time. Others, such as H. helluo, seek refuge under rocks and other cover that nature provides. As they wander from place to place, they can end up in people's homes when the weather turns cold. Males of almost any species can sometimes be found inside buildings as they wander around looking for females in the fall.

Instead of blood, spiders have hemolymph, which contains copper. Once outdoors, it turns blue. Veins + arteries are completely absent, communication between organs is carried out using hemolymph.

Most species build tubular nests in the ground lined with spider webs. Some hide the entrance with trash, others build a tower-like structure over the entrance. At night they leave their secret hideout and go hunting. The spider tries to find a convenient place so that the insect can pass by. From a distance of several centimeters, the wolf spider jumps forward and grabs its prey.

Social structure and reproduction

When it's time to mate, males attract females by rhythmically flapping their long mouth parts (palps) or drumming them on leaves. The male approaches the female for mating with his front pair of legs raised. Readiness to mate is probably demonstrated by a scent that can be heard even at a distance of one meter.

Males of the species Allocosa brasiliensis may eat a female with poor reproductive capabilities or an old female incapable of reproducing. This biological fact was recorded for the first time.

Then the male makes circular movements in accordance with the fixed pattern of the legs (pedipalps), in which the seed pockets are located. The mating female responds by tapping her front legs and takes a few steps towards the male, who then resumes courtship. This continues until they are almost touching. In nocturnal species, acoustic signals play an important role, while in daytime species, optical signals play an important role.

The male crawls onto the female's front and bends down on one side of the abdomen to insert the first palpus. A woman flattens her belly. Then a second palpus is inserted from the other side. Wolf spiders are unique in that they carry their eggs with them in a cocoon. After mating, the female spins a round web sac containing eggs, attaches it to spinnerets at the end of her abdomen, and carries the unborn cubs with her.

This species of spider has extremely strong maternal instinct. If the female has somehow lost her cocoon with her cubs, she becomes very restless and begins to wander aimlessly, trying to find it. If she fails to find the pouch, the female grabs any object that resembles it. These can be tiny pieces of cotton wool, cotton fibers, etc. In this way, she is trying to create the illusion of bearing children.

The stomach should be in a raised position so that the bag does not drag on the ground. But even in this position, females are able to hunt. Another aspect characteristic of wolf spiders is their method of caring for their young brood. Immediately after the spiders emerge from the soft, protected cover, they climb up the mother’s legs onto her back.

Hundreds of small wolf spiders cling to the mother's hairs and sit on her in several layers, feeding on the epidermis. At this time, the mother wanders around to find the best microclimatic conditions and good shelter for her children. To avoid danger, she gives up hunting for about eight days. The mother carries the spiders for several weeks before they become large enough to fend for themselves.

Natural enemies of the wolf spider

There are many predators that would love to feast on a wolf spider, but these arachnids have several defense mechanisms to help them avoid becoming victims of the food chain. Roaming species of wolf spiders use their agility and speed, as well as unique coloring that blends in with their environment.

Predators to watch out for include:

• . They do not eat the spider, but temporarily paralyze it with a sting before inserting the egg inside. As the larvae mature, these nascent organisms eat the spider from the inside. Some wasps pull the spider towards their nest and completely suppress it, protecting the larvae. Other varieties place the egg inside and then allow the wolf spider to run free;
• amphibians and small reptiles. Amphibians also enjoy delicious food, which is provided to them by the wolf spider. Creatures such as frogs and salamanders are known to feed on various types of spiders. Amphibian predators will typically eat any creature small enough for them to swallow whole. Small reptiles such as snakes and lizards also eat wolf spiders, although more large species may skip this spider in favor of larger food;
• And . Although wolf spiders are arachnids, they are close enough to insects that they are often preyed on by shrews. These tiny creatures require a constant intake of food to maintain their energy levels. Coyotes also sometimes eat wolf spiders;
• birds. While some birds prefer seeds and vegetation, other birds seek to enjoy live prey. Numerous bird species, including owls and elves, are predators of the wolf spider. These arachnids do not use webs, so they must go out to hunt and obtain food, which makes them vulnerable to attack from above.

If the wolf spider is forced to fight, it will bite its opponents big jaws. If faced with death, they are willing to sacrifice even a leg to survive the situation, although losing a leg makes them slower and more vulnerable to future attacks.

Population and species status

Almost all species of wolf spider have stable populations. They live in large numbers all over the world. However, some, such as the desert wolf spider from Portugal and the Adelocosa anops cave spider from Kauai in the Hawaiian archipelago, are endangered. Similarities between the wolf spider and dangerous predator the karakurt spider led to the fact that people began to destroy this species as soon as they saw it inside their home and even when it was near their home.

Catching this arachnid must be approached with caution, because it may turn out to be a spider and hundreds of spiderlings can run away from their crushed mother around the house.

A wolf spider bite can be painful, but is not at all dangerous to healthy adults. This is because the venom has low neurotoxicity, so it does not cause much harm. However, sensitive people such as children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems may have some form of negative reaction. Therefore, if children or people live in the house old age, there are several steps you can take to prevent wolf spider infestations:

• clear vegetation around the perimeter of the house;
• remove yard debris such as downed trees, rocks and lumber piles;
• seal any cracks or holes in the foundation of the house and around windows and doors;
• minimize outdoor lighting, as light attracts insects that spiders love to eat;
• If a wolf spider has gotten into your home, use a sealant to kill it.

Despite his menacing appearance, spider wolf does not pose a particular threat to people. Although they can be fast and aggressive when hunting their prey, they do not bite people unless provoked. If you encounter a wolf spider, its first impulse will be to retreat. However, if you chase it or try to trap it, the spider will feel threatened and will be much more likely to be hit back defensively.

WOLF SPIDER

Which ones unusual names you won’t find in nature, including the names of animals and insects. Here too, a spider and a wolf, two completely different natural creatures, now stand next to each other, denoting a very specific representative of arachnids.

The wolf spider belongs to the Araneomorpha family, which has 2,367 species, which are grouped into 116 genera.

Wolf spider (Lycosidae)

DOES IT LOOK LIKE A WOLF?

The wolf spider looks like any average representative of arachnids: cephalothorax, belly, 8 eyes, which, by the way, unlike many other species of spiders, are able to see at a distance of more than 20 centimeters, but not very clearly distinguishing objects, developed limbs, which males attract females. The wolf spider's sense of smell is well developed. Females are larger and lighter than males, their forelimbs are less developed. The color is most often dark, black, brown or dark gray; lighter spiders are also rarely found. As the spider grows, it moults. The lifespan of spiders depends on their size; larger spiders tend to live longer. Pregnant females and small spiders can overwinter.

WHAT TO EAT, HOW TO LIVE, HOW TO RAIS CHILDREN

WOLF SPIDERS PERFORM LOVE SERENADES

Scientists have discovered that one species of wolf spider, Gladicosa gulosa, purrs like a cat when it comes to courting the opposite sex.

When the arthropods were on a granite or wooden surface or on the ground, the vibrations were almost silent, but on the leaves of trees, as well as on a sheet of paper or parchment, the sound was loud enough to be transmitted through the air.

“Spiders have special sensory organs located in their legs,” explains Itz. “They are called sensilla and are located in the knee area - spiders hear with these organs.”
Researchers hope to figure out how spiders adapted to sing through forest floor. This behavior may be a very early evolutionary example of the use of primitive sound for intraspecific communication.

The results of the study were presented during the annual meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in Pittsburgh.

Used sources.

Fauna centipedes Karadaga remains poorly studied to this day. The vast majority of species living in Crimea are small in size and, due to their secretive lifestyle, are hardly noticeable. They live in damp places: in the soil, under stones, under bark and in rotting tree trunks. Only a few large representatives of this class of invertebrates are able to attract the attention of tourists. In human dwellings you can often find a rather large - about the size of a matchbox - centipede with a fringe of long and thin legs. Her elongated delicate body seems to be suspended on curved support legs. It's about O common flycatcher, or scooter- certainly one of the most charming representatives of the vast subclass of Labiopods. Flycatchers are attracted to homes by an abundance of insects. This peculiar animal leads the lifestyle of an ambush predator, less often actively searching for prey. Scootigers destroying a large number of flies, mosquitoes and other insects, whose proximity is not always pleasant, are useful guests in homes. This cute animal is not at all dangerous for people.

Common flycatcher with prey. Photo by V.S. Marchenko

Under stones lying on damp soil you can find whitish or ivory-colored very long and thin centipedes. Wriggling like snakes, they will immediately try to hide from the light and go into the soil. This geophiles- earthworm eaters. Their frequent neighbors are medium-sized (several centimeters in length) brown drupes. Looks like harmless drupes ringed scolopendra, differing from them in its impressive size. There are specimens over 20 cm long! Scolopendra is poisonous, numerous and almost ubiquitous. It is active mainly at night, but in cloudy weather appears on the surface during the day. Scolopendras are excellent climbers, climbing rocks and treetops, penetrating through windows into houses. Thus, it poses a serious danger to a careless tourist sleeping in the open air. Cases of human bites by scolopendra in Crimea are not at all uncommon. The poison is injected with powerful claw-like jaws. You cannot die from the bite of this centipede, but it will cause a lot of trouble. A burning pain is felt at the site of injection of the poison, redness and swelling occur, and in severe cases the temperature rises. It is interesting that this unattractive animal, the sudden appearance of which causes a feeling of chills even in a habitual person, is capable of touching care for its offspring: centipedes carefully incubate and protect the egg laying from attacks by predators until the young animals appear. Scolopendras feed mainly on insects, but are able to cope with bold lizards and newborn snakes.

Scolopendra is a dangerous centipede. Photo N.M. Kovblyuka

Scolopendra is the only large centipede of Karadag. Numerous on the southern coast of Crimea, the large (as thick as a pencil) two-legged centipede - odorous nodule- it is no longer found near the eastern limit of the Crimean Mountains, and the easternmost point of its range is Cape Alchak, which closes Sudak Bay from the west. These flies have been repeatedly brought to Karadag for experimental purposes, but for some reason they do not take root here.

Arachnids, or Arachnida- a very numerous class of invertebrates. On Karadag this ancient group is represented by several detachments. The orders of scorpions and salpugs (the latter are also called camel spiders) in Crimea are represented by a single species each. Peculiar appearance and the unusual behavior of these animals have attracted human attention since ancient times. They are mentioned in the Book of the Dead, in Sumerian and ancient Greek myths and chronicles. In Egypt, scorpions were depicted on tombs and monuments. Aristotle wrote that in some countries scorpion stings are harmless, in others they bring inevitable death. In this sense, Crimea is a calm region. In piles of stones and under plaster on old buildings you will occasionally see a small Crimean scorpion. Its total length with the “tail” does not exceed 4.5 cm, and the poisonous spine of its telson (the so-called bulbous segment at the end of the abdomen where the poisonous glands are located) is not able to pierce the rough skin of the sole of a person’s foot.

The cuticle of the Crimean scorpion fluoresces in ultraviolet light. Photo by A. A. Nadolny iO. V. Kukushkina

In the Karadag Nature Reserve, the scorpion is known from isolated finds, but is relatively common within the surrounding cities of Sudak and Feodosia. This scorpion’s attraction to ancient port centers is quite understandable: quite recently it turned out that the scorpion was brought to Crimea from one of the islands in the southern part Aegean Sea, apparently, during the era of the ancient Greek colonization of Taurica. But in Crimea, scientists found it much earlier than in their homeland. That is why it is called Crimean. The scorpion also arrived to Karadag as a “hare” - most likely from Sevastopol, along with laboratory glassware from the Institute of Biology South Seas(in the semi-basement premises of the first marine aquarium, organized by A.O. Kovalevsky, scorpions are found in abundance - under the plaster on the walls). This timid animal is active at night and feeds on flies and other small invertebrates, which it finds in wall crevices and rock cracks. Interesting feature biology of scorpions - protection of offspring: until the first molt, the female carries her babies on her back. And at this time, do not approach her!

Another original resident of Karadag is common salpuga, or phalanx,- the largest arachnid of the Crimean fauna. Together with its limbs, it reaches the size of a tea saucer. Salpuga is not numerous, lives in rocky areas, and is not easy to find. But warm summer evenings they meet under street lamps in the village of the reserve, where they hunt small animals. Despite its considerable size, eerie appearance (which is aggravated by exceptional hairiness) and the presence of huge claw-shaped mandibles-chelicerae, the salpuga is not capable of causing harm to humans. This is probably why the behavior of the salpug is often defiantly aggressive. The disturbed animal swings on long legs, makes attacks on the offender and, moving his powerful jaws, without exaggeration, makes a “gnashing of teeth.” Do not pay attention to these advances - the salpug has no poisonous glands. However, it is not worth trying to tease her for the sake of experimentation. The phalanges, being very voracious, do not disdain carrion on occasion and, if bitten, can introduce an infection into the wound.

During the day, furry salpugs can be found under large stones. Photo by L.V. Znamenskaya

Another arachnid would not deserve a mention in the guidebook if it did not come across so often. This is about false scorpion book. This tiny animal, no more than 5 mm in size, is indeed extremely similar in appearance to a real scorpion, only without a “tail” with a poisonous sting. On Karadag false scorpions come across not only in nature, but also between the yellowed pages of the tomes of T.I. Vyazemsky’s library. They feed on tiny insects. Thus, these are a kind of small guardians of a unique collection of books. Interesting feature pseudoscorpions - their tendency to use large flies and beetles as vehicle. Clinging to the legs of their winged brethren with their claws, they travel widely throughout the world.

The greatest diversity is observed in the order of spiders. On Karadag today there are almost 340 species. The insufficient knowledge of the spider fauna of Karadag is evidenced by the fact that species new to science are still being described from here. In 2009, a large (over 1 cm long) representative of the family was found in the Karadag Nature Reserve wolf spiders, which is so different from all its brothers that it even had to be separated into an independent genus - delirium. This arthropod, unknown to science, lived in a gully trampled by generations of naturalists near the beginning of ecological trail and in general, I wasn’t really hiding from anyone...

Now let's talk about the most prominent representatives of the diverse order of spiders inhabiting Karadag. On rocky slopes, in the cushions of thorny astragalus, one can see elongated web tubes going deep into the bush - into a plexus of thorny twigs. These are trappers of a rather large net funnel web spider. If you look closely, you will notice the light gray body of the host in the depths of the funnel. In piles of rocks by the sea and on tree branches there are often huge, with small Walnut orb weaving spiders, or crossmen. Their networks have a “classic” wheel shape. While walking around the reserve, it is easy to see that they are so careless that they often weave the trails with their snares. In the steppe areas there are numerous large orb-weaving spiders: striped, like a wasp, Argiope Bruennich, with a bullet-shaped abdomen, and silvery, with scalloped outgrowths on a flattened abdomen, Argiope lobata.

Argiope Bruennicha is one of the most noticeable spiders of Karadag. Photo by L.V. Znamenskaya

In the herbaceous layer, small crab spiders, or side walkers, having a short angular abdomen and disproportionately long forelimbs. Hiding in the center of a flower, they lie in wait for insects arriving to feast on nectar. For camouflage purposes, some crab spiders change their color to match their surroundings. All of the listed species of spiders chose the strategy of ambush predators. However, many of their other brethren are skilled trackers who actively hunt for prey. Tarantulas and strays wolf spiders They reach relatively large sizes, usually hunt on the ground and are excellent sprinters. Jumping spiders they take it with caution, sneaking up on the prey on the sly and making a lightning-fast throw at the last moment from a distance that seems incredibly huge in comparison with the more than modest size of the furry hunter. In summer more often than others jumpers a small (less than 1 cm) spider catches your eye philaeus with a scarlet or blood-red belly. He hunts in the thick of it - on sun-hot rocks. Some horses are capable of “hunting cunning”: they do not approach a spotted prey head-on, risking being discovered, but carefully go around it and attack from behind. Some species are also capable of a more meaningful maneuver: when they see a prey, they can not only go around it from behind, but also choose a good place ambushes above, on a rock or branch, and then suddenly jumps straight onto the prey.

Smaller spiders of other species sometimes become prey for jumpers. Photo by L.V. Znamenskaya

In houses, long-legged anemic animals are often found on the ceilings. house spiders, which are often called haymakers, mistakenly assigning them the name of a completely different animal. Sometimes a large awkward creature may come to visit tegenaria domestica, whose paws are covered with long soft hairs. These are useful neighbors that save us from annoying insects.

A female wolf spider with offspring on her back appears to be dressed in a black fur coat. Photo by L.V. Znamenskaya

Several species of spiders living on Karadag pose a danger to humans. All of them have powerful mandibles that easily pierce the skin. Among them are large and mobile South Russian tarantula , spider Eresus, the females of which have a massive build and reach sizes of 2 - 3 cm, as well as a delicate and inconspicuous spider, but with huge chelicerae hirakant, often visiting houses. The bites of these spiders are painful, causing a strong local reaction and a fever that lasts for several days. A spider bite can also lead to trouble. atipusa- a representative of an ancient and primitive family, closely related to tropical tarantula spiders. However, all of the listed species that are poisonous to humans are rare, and meeting them during a short excursion around Karadag is almost incredible.

When in danger, the male fat-headed spider (eresus) shows the enemy its brightly colored abdomen with an ocellated pattern. Photo by O. V. Kukushkin

Atipus is a relative of tropical tarantula spiders. Photo by A.A. Nadolny

The only fatal dangerous spider, found on Karadag, is thirteen-point karakurt from a family of tenetniks. People sometimes call it the “black widow”. The fact is that after mating, hungry females often deal with their suitors. Karakurt is easily recognizable. The round-ovoid abdomen of adult females is uniformly glossy black. On its lower surface there may be a light pattern reminiscent of an hourglass - if you think about it, it’s very symbolic... Males and young spiders have white eyes with a red dot in the center scattered across the black background of their abdomen. The karakurt lives permanently in the Karadag district, but its numbers are significantly lower than in the Steppe Crimea, where the main centers of distribution of this species are located, and where it finds optimal conditions for existence. In addition to Karadag, karakurt is found in Koktebel and near Sudak, on Cape Meganom. In some years with favorable weather for this spider, outbreaks of numbers are recorded. Juvenile karakurt are capable of migrating over considerable distances, flying on spider threads. On Karadag, the airborne assault of the Karakurts appears in April - May. Spiderlings “drop anchor” on dry slopes with steppe vegetation (they prefer wormwood) or in pistachio woodlands. There are especially many of them in areas trampled by livestock. In this case, young karakurts settle in cow tracks, which are natural traps for insects. There they build the first loose mesh, in the center of which a cap of motes and the corpses of sucked insects is suspended on guy wires to hide the owner. Feeding heavily, the spiders grow rapidly and reach sexual maturity by July. In August, females lay eggs, packing them in cocoons (there are usually 4 - 5 of them), and die with the first frost. The life of a karakurt is fleeting. The babies survive the winter in cocoons and emerge into the light of day in the spring, after which the cycle repeats. For humans, the greatest danger is represented by females, which can reach 2 cm, although relatively small males and even young spiders can also cause serious poisoning. Karakurt poison has a neurotoxic effect, affecting the nervous system. At the moment of the bite, a burning pain is felt, which soon spreads throughout the body; due to convulsive contractions of the chest muscles, suffocation occurs, the abdominal muscles are tense, as in peritonitis, strong mental agitation and an insurmountable fear of death are noted. In case of moderate poisoning, the illness lasts several weeks, in severe cases within the first two days, death occurs due to paralysis of the respiratory center in the medulla oblongata. There is a cruel, but simple (which is valuable in field conditions) and quite effective way to mitigate the consequences of poisoning. It was recommended back in the 1940s after testing on himself by the famous zoologist Professor P.I. Marikovsky, who studied poisonous animals Central Asia, Iran and the Caucasus. Two or three matches are placed on the site of the bite with the heads and then set on fire. Spider venom is protein in nature, is injected shallowly (half a millimeter) and, therefore, can be thermally decomposed by cauterization 1 . However, this measure is effective only in the first 2 - 3 minutes after the bite. Later, this first aid will no longer be relevant, since most of the poison will have time to be absorbed into the bloodstream. It is difficult to understand why this small spider, which feeds on beetles and locusts, needs such monstrous poison. According to one version, this powerful weapon allows karakurt to capture rodent burrows. A person gets into trouble mainly due to carelessness. People walk across the steppe barefoot and sometimes step on karakurt. In this case, the moment of the bite itself may go unnoticed. After all, there are so many thorns in the steppe...

The lair of a female karakurt on the Karagach ridge in the Karadag Nature Reserve. Spider cocoons and remains of predator victims up to the size of a stag beetle are visible. Photo by O. V. Kukushkin

1 We especially emphasize: when bitten poisonous snake cauterization is completely useless and even harmful!

Source : Kukushkin O.V., Kovblyuk N.M. Centipedes and arachnids // Karadag Reserve: Popular Science Essays / Ed. A.L. Morozova. - Simferopol: N. Orianda, 2011. - P. 105-111.

Many people keep pets in their apartments. Some people get familiar cats or enjoy their pleasant company. Others prefer exotic or unusual animals - raccoons, capuchin macaques. Someone has tender feelings for, then terrariums are built in apartments and houses and special food is purchased. For such pets, which we will get to know better today, the name “arthropods” is used. These are, but not ordinary forest or domestic spiders, but special wolf spiders that live in the gardens of the middle zone and in daytime almost invisible due to their natural camouflage. Let's find out more about wolf spiders - what these creatures are like, what to feed them at home, and what such an unusual and frightening neighborhood entails.

Wolf spiders: description

Their amazing camouflage ability keeps these creatures hidden from prying eyes. They are practically invisible in dense vegetation, make holes in secluded corners, and hunt only when there is no danger nearby. This spider looks unremarkable.

It has a primitive body structure - the cephalothorax is used as a location for the organs of vision, mouth and respiratory organs. The internal organs of the spider are located in the abdominal part, and long jointed legs extend from it. Its color is brownish-gray, earthy, so the description of the wolf spider can be confused with a recluse spider. They differ only in a special spot on their back in the shape of a violin, which the wolf does not have.

This spider has three claws at the tips of each segmented paw; they help it move faster across different surfaces and catch prey. The forelegs of males are much more noticeable than those of females, and they are three to four times smaller in size than females, since females are designed to carry and feed offspring.

Distribution and habitat

These arachnids live on all continents and in all countries, except for permafrost areas. The warmer the climate of the country, the higher the likelihood of meeting this creature there. Humidity is another favorable condition for wolf spiders, so they nest en masse in damp leaf litter and on rocks near water bodies. Everyone knows what they are, despite the fact that wolf spiders try to hide and remain unnoticed, and therefore live alone in dense bushes and flower beds, in heaps of stones, woodpiles, in old barns and warehouses.

Behavior and lifestyle

It is believed that this spider was called a wolf not only for its thick hairline on the abdomen, but also for the habit of living and hunting alone, and not by weaving trapping nets, but by real racing after the fleeing prey. It hunts mainly on small insects. Catches flies, beetles, other spiders and finds larvae laid by beetles.

At night, these creatures sit in burrows and catch insects running past, and during the day, they move near the burrow on their own and, seeing potential prey, jump on it with all their weight, having previously attached the web to the place from which the jump was made. Wolf spiders eat their victims, pressing them to the ground or other surface with their front legs, which look like segmented harpoons. This is a predatory arachnid, so it can immobilize large victims by injecting a poisonous substance with its bite.

Did you know? This type of arachnid has such a strong maternal instinct that a female whose cocoon with her cubs has been taken away loses peace and can wander aimlessly for hours in search of it. If the cocoon cannot be found, she attaches any object similar to it in its place, that is, on the abdomen. Female wolf spiders have been known to replace the cocoon with tiny pieces of cotton wool or balls of cotton fiber to create the illusion of bearing offspring.

Female wolf spiders mate exclusively with males they like. Most often, mating takes place in the warm season - thus, in temperate climate this process occurs in the spring, and in the tropics it occurs all year round. The male attracts the female's attention by swaying on his elongated front legs and slowly approaching her with a swaying gait. If the female decides that such a male is suitable for her, she helps him climb onto her back. If the male is small, the female turns her abdomen so that it is convenient for him to introduce sperm into her genitals using her genital organ (cymbium).

Immediately after mating, the female begins to look for a cozy corner in order to settle down in it and begin to spin a cocoon for the fertilized eggs. She carries the eggs in the resulting multilayer ball for two to three weeks, while the baby spiders in them mature. This ball is attached to the female’s spinning organ, from which she secretes a web to strengthen the cocoon. The cocoon matures well only in sunny and warm weather, so the female looks for the warmest places for him and, due to the evaporation of moisture from the surface of her body, loses up to 30% of the total mass.

As a pet, this creature does not cause much trouble. Despite its slight poisonousness and nervousness, the spider moves by jumping only when it is about to attack a possible victim, and practically does not move along vertical surfaces due to the weak grip of its clawed legs. A glass aquarium with a volume of ten to twenty liters is quite suitable for its maintenance. To make the arachnid comfortable, it needs to be filled with soil mixture to a height of up to ten centimeters. The aquarium needs to be maintained at a constant temperature of 28-30 degrees - females especially need this warmth during the ripening of the cocoon. High humidity is another required condition comfortable living of this pet. To prevent the air humidity in the aquarium from becoming equal to room humidity, it must be covered with cling film.

Important! Individuals that bore offspring during the warm season, as well as young spiders that appeared during the warm season, are able to overwinter. They pupate or simply lie down in dark, secluded places - it is better not to disturb such spiders in vain.

For home care It is better to take a female than a male. Firstly, it is larger, so it will be more interesting for you to care for it. Secondly, it is less whimsical in its maintenance - it is not disturbed by temperature fluctuations of up to five degrees in both directions. In captivity, the female lives up to four years, while the male lives up to two years - the age of sexual maturity - and dies almost immediately after that. A female domestic spider can give birth to numerous offspring; captivity only benefits her in matters of nutrition and comfort, however, you need to be careful with her during the period of bearing the cubs, because she can bite. To do this, you will need to give her a male spider capable of reproducing.

Kinds

In total, this spider family has more than two thousand species, which are divided into one hundred and sixteen genera. Among themselves, these species differ in the method of hunting - running or burrow hunting, and the time of hunting - daytime or night. The most common type is called Ampulian tarantula. This is a fairly large arachnid, reaching at least seven centimeters in length. Lives on the slopes of mountains and hills, loves to hide in fallen leaves and cover their burrows with it. Its bite is very painful and for a long time it was considered poisonous.

Among species of wolf spiders that do not belong to tarantulas, in wooded areas, in private homes and on summer cottages often found leopard spiders And earth spiders. The first ones are distinguished by a bright silver stripe on the body and their small size - only 0.5 cm. The second ones are slightly larger, their sizes reach one centimeter. They have similar habits and life expectancy.

Another widespread species also belongs to tarantulas - this South Russian tarantula. It is not as large as the Ampulian one, only three centimeters, but it looks intimidating and is considered the largest arachnid in the CIS. Overall, in middle lane approximately eighty species of these creatures can be found. The rest live in tropical and subtropical regions.

Did you know? The nervous system of this species of arthropod is better developed than nervous systems his other relatives. This is due to the fact that its hunting method is fundamentally different from that of a typical spider. While all other representatives of the order arthropods sit on their fishing nets or in burrows, waiting for the arrival of the victim, this tireless hunter runs and looks for his prey on his own, overtaking it quickly and suddenly. This method of hunting a wolf spider was first discovered in the 90s of the 19th century.

The importance of wolf spiders for nature and humans

As we have already said, at home an aquarium filled with soil mixture should be installed for the wolf spider. To prevent the soil from drying out, you can irrigate it from time to time without flooding your pet. Additionally, branches and leaves placed in the aquarium will only improve the living conditions of your pet.

To ensure that the spider does not lack food, it needs to be provided with its usual diet - flies, beetles, larvae and mosquitoes. All this food is served to him in dried and crushed form. To entertain your pet and prevent his instincts from fading, you can introduce live prey into the aquarium. Cockroaches and crickets are suitable for this purpose. The more often you let live insects in, the healthier your pet will be.

Most poisonous species these arachnids are Brazilian wolf spider, the consequences of a bite can be serious even for an adult healthy person, because the body reacts to its poison with excruciating pain.

Important! If the bite of this arachnid causes you fever and tissue numbness, immediately go to the clinic- You may need an antidote or at least qualified medical advice.

Spiders are very unusual pets. Despite the fact that they are very popular due to their unpretentiousness, small size and unusual appearance, many owners of warm-blooded pets are truly horrified when watching the movement of wolf spiders around the aquarium.

Wolf spiders are quite calm and easy to keep, since, unlike other arachnids, they hide when a person appears, move poorly on vertical planes and generally behave quite quietly both during feeding and during the period of gestation of the cocoon with eggs. House spiders cannot be called friendly, but if you know the intricacies of care and what they feed on, and understand their habits, you can easily keep them both in a private house and in a small city apartment.

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