FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
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Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Rabidosa rabida, whose common name is rabid wolf spider, is a species of spider belonging to North America. The brown stripe that is present on the abdomen of these spiders, along with the little white spots on the posterior part of the stripe, is used to identify them. These spiders are not poisonous venomous in nature, but can be pests in the house.
Another interesting feature of these spiders is that they do not spin webs. They are known to live in holes and under litter, garbage, and so on. Once the spiderlings hatch out of the eggs, which are inside egg sacs, they make their way to their mother's back. Hence, if you see one of these spiders in your house, it is always better not to kill them, because if it is a mother spider, it can release all its spiderlings in your house. The best way to get rid of these spiders is by using a broom to wipe them out, using a glue board, or getting help from pest control. However, since these spiders feed on insects, they can also help in controlling pests in your house.
To learn more about this interesting spider, continue reading below! If you like this article, you can also read about huntsman spider and brown recluse spider.
A rabid wolf spider is a kind of arachnid seen in North America.
The Rabidosa rabida spider or rabid wolf spider belongs to the class Arachnida. They are a part of the Lycosidae family.
The exact number of rabid wolf spiders is not known. However, their population is not under any threat of reducing drastically.
These animals are native to North America. In the United States of America, these spiders can be seen from Maine in the north, to Florida in the south, and Texas.
The habitat of rabid wolf spiders (Rabidosa rabida) mainly consists of apartments and houses, cotton fields, or wooded areas and forests. They can most commonly be found in holes and also under litter and garbage.
These creatures are solitary in nature and are found to be living and hunting on their own. However, when young, the spiderlings are seen to be attached to their mother's back. Hence, mother and offspring live together for a while.
The typical lifespan of this species is two years. But in a steady environment, they can survive beyond that.
The reproductive process in these spiders is quite interesting and also, a common topic of scientific research. The male performs a kind of dance in front of the female rabid wolf spider during the courting period. Both the sexes also release pheromones during this time. After a successful courtship, the male spider deposits their sperm in a ball of silk they have spun. This silk ball is then carried by the female until fertilization occurs. The egg sacs (eggs surrounded by a silk cocoon) are attached to the spinnerets of the female and contain 168-365 eggs. Once the young spiderlings hatch out of the eggs, they climb on the back of their mother and stay there for about six months.
The conservation status of Rabidosa rabida has not been listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature or IUCN. However, these spiders are not at any risk of endangerment. Their main threats are predators like snakes, cats, dogs, and other wolf spiders.
Rabid wolf spiders are seen with a dark gray cephalothorax with two stripes on it. They also have a distinct stripe on their abdomen. The back end of the abdomen has a few spots. These spiders have eight eyes. Male rabid wolf spiders appear smaller than female spiders. Hence, in this species, dimorphism is seen between males and females.
In general, spiders aren't cute to most people. However, those who are arachnid enthusiasts might find these animals cute.
Rabid wolf spiders can communicate using a variety of methods, such as vibrations and pheromones. These male spiders are known to pluck the fibers of their web to create a 'song' through vibrations in order to attract females. They also use this method to communicate with each other. Additionally, both males and females are known to use their pheromones as an effective tool for communication.
This species of wolf spider (Rabidosa rabida) is not very big. A male rabid wolf spider has an average length of 0.5 in (13 mm), while the female spider's length ranges from 0.6-0.8 in (16-21 mm). These spiders are smaller than Arctic wolf spiders, which belong to the same family Lycosidae.
Rabid wolf spiders are known to be very fast and quick. They can avoid any danger and predators with the help of their agility.
Even though the exact weight of these arachnids is not known, it can be assumed that they are very lightweight in nature. In general, the maximum weight for any member of this family Lycosidae is not more than 1 oz (30 g).
The males and females belonging to this species of spider are known as male rabid wolf spiders and female rabid wolf spiders, respectively.
Baby rabid wolf spiders are known as spiderlings.
The rabid wolf spiders are carnivorous in nature and mainly prey on insects. Some of the common insects in their diet are grasshoppers, locusts, ants, and crickets. They are also known to prey on other spiders. They also feed on non-insect arthropods. After catching their prey, they suck out all the nutrients in its body.
Rabid wolf spiders (Rabidosa rabida) are not venomous or poisonous in nature. As a result, they pose no significant threat to people. These spiders are also not prone to biting and will only bite if they have no other option. Rabid wolf spider bite wound, like other wolf spider bite wounds, causes swelling and redness in humans, but does not require any special attention and usually resolves on its own.
It is possible to keep rabid wolf spiders as pets as they are mostly docile and harmless in nature when handled correctly. Their care requirements are expected to be similar to those of other species of wolf spiders. Since these spiders do not spin webs, it is best to keep them in a well-ventilated terrarium or aquarium. They will require insects as their food. Even though these spiders are not poisonous in nature, it is still advisable to not touch them or take them out of their enclosure too often, as their bites are painful.
These spiders belong to the Lycosidae family and the name Lycosidae in ancient Greek means 'wolf'.
The mating ritual of rabid wolf spiders includes a dance where the male and female spiders turn themselves in alternate directions. Scientific research has concluded that the intensity of the pheromones released by the male rabid wolf spider depends on these turns.
Despite having the word 'rabid' in their name, this species of wolf spider does not carry the rabies virus and is therefore harmless. Their agility and quickness, though, have earned them the name. They also hunt their prey in the same way that wolves do. They remain motionless before leaping on their prey.
Rabid wolf spiders have a total of eight eyes. These eyes are located in such a way that it appears like a mustache. Four eyes are present on the top of their cephalothorax, and four more can be seen below. Their eyes also help them by providing really good eyesight.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other arthropods including hobo spider, or jumping spider.
You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Rabid wolf spider coloring pages.
Thank you to Kidadler Cindy Virginiak for providing the image of Rabid Wolf Spider in this article.
https://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.php?identification=Rabid-Wolf-Spider
https://medium.com/@info.healthscholar/shocking-facts-about-the-rabid-wolf-spider-3917ac11ac0b
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rabidosa_rabida/
https://spideridentifications.com/rabid-wolf.html
https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/rabid-wolf-spider
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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