Wolf Spiders

For most spiders, sons and daughters never get to meet their mum. The spiderlings hatch and are left alone to survive or become prey themselves. One exception to this behaviour is the wolf spiders (family Lycosidae). They provide maternal care that helps to protect the spiderlings until they are older and more able to feed and defend themselves.

Wolf Spider, Lycosa species
Photographer: Alan Henderson, Source: Museum Victoria

The female wolf spider weaves a circular mat of fine silk onto which she deposits a hundred or more eggs. She then weaves silk around the eggs, draws up the sides of the mat and sews it into a silken ball. The size of this silken ball is often about the same as the spider itself.

A female wolf spider (Lycosa sp.) with her egg case
Photographer: Graham Milledge / Source: Museum Victoria

Using strong silken threads, she then attaches the egg case to the under surface of her abdomen and carries it with her. She incubates the eggs during the day by facing the egg case towards the sun and slowly turning it. When the spiderlings finally hatch, they crawl up onto the mother’s abdomen, often covering her several layers deep.

Her maternal care extends only to providing the spiderlings with transport and protection from predators. The spiderlings do not share any of the prey that the mother catches, and if they fall off they are not rescued. Still, it’s a better start to life than most other spiderlings receive.

A female wolf spider, Lycosa godeffroyi, with spiderlings on her abdomen
Photographer: Graham Milledge / Source: Museum Victoria

The wolf spider is not alone in the maternal care department. Scorpions also carry their young on their back, and female huntsmen spiders will also protect their spiderlings.