Spotted wolf spider (Pardosa amentata)

Here’s a detailed overview of the Spotted Wolf Spider (Pardosa amentata) — a fast, ground-dwelling spider common across much of Europe:

🕷️ Spotted Wolf Spider (Pardosa amentata)

🔹 Taxonomy

• Order: Araneae (Spiders)
• Family: Lycosidae (Wolf Spiders)
• Genus: Pardosa
• Species: Pardosa amentata
• Authority: (Clerck, 1757)

🔹 Identification

• Size:
  • Males: ~4–5 mm
  • Females: ~5–7 mm
• Coloration:
  • Mottled brown and grey with pale bands and dark spots
  • A distinct light central stripe runs down the cephalothorax
  • Abdomen may have chevron or mottled patterns
• Eyes: Eight eyes in three rows (typical for wolf spiders); front row has four small eyes, middle two are large and forward-facing
• Legs: Long, spiny, and often banded; built for speed

🔹 Distribution

• Widespread across Europe, especially common in:
  • UK and Ireland
  • Scandinavia
  • Central and Eastern Europe
• Also found in parts of North Africa and Asia

🔹 Habitat

• Prefers open, sunny habitats with low vegetation, including:
  • Grasslands
  • Heathlands
  • Dune systems
  • Field edges and dry meadows
  • Gardens and lawns
• Often seen running on bare ground or paths

🔹 Behavior

🏃 Hunting

• Active hunter — does not spin a web to catch prey
• Pursues small insects and other arthropods across the ground
• Relies on excellent eyesight and speed

🧵 Silk Use

• Uses silk for:
  • Egg sacs
  • Draglines (safety lines while moving)
  • Occasional molting mats

🥚 Reproduction

• Spring to early summer breeding season
• Females produce a round white egg sac and carry it attached to their spinnerets
• After hatching, spiderlings ride on the mother’s back for several days — a distinctive wolf spider trait

🔹 Life Cycle

• One generation per year in temperate regions
• Adults typically seen from April to July, with immature individuals lasting into autumn
• Overwinter as juveniles in sheltered ground litter or grass clumps

🔹 Similar Species

• Pardosa lugubris – darker, often found in woodlands
• Pardosa pullata – very similar; needs close inspection of genitalia to distinguish
• All Pardosa species are generally fast-running, mottled brown ground spiders

🔹 Conservation

• Not threatened
• Common and widespread in many habitats
• Sensitive to:
  • Pesticide use
  • Habitat degradation and loss of unmanaged grasslands

🔹 Fun Facts

• The name “wolf spider” comes from their predatory nature, like a wolf hunting prey
• Their eye reflection can sometimes be spotted in torchlight at night
• Caring mothers: the female Pardosa amentata carries her young until they are ready to disperse

📸 Observation Tips

• Look on bare soil, sunny footpaths, or grass clumps in spring
• Move slowly; they’ll often pause briefly before darting away
• Best spotted during warm, dry weather