Extension > Garden > Diagnose a problem > What insect is this? > General/curiosity insects > Insect relatives ½ – 1 inch long > Wolf spiders

Wolf spiders

Lycosidae family

Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org

Jeff Hahn, University of Minnesota Extension

Description: 1/4 - 1 or more inches long. Most have light to dark brown or gray bodies. Females carry their egg sacs attached to their spinnerets. When the spiderlings first hatch, they ride on the female's abdomen. The best method to identify wolf spider is by their eyes which are set up in one row of four eyes and then two rows of two eyes.

Where/When: Found in many different habitats, including fields, forests, and shorelines primarily on the ground or under stones.

Significance: Beneficial as predators of insects. Does not harm to people.

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