Insects for Fun!

In this episode of Insects for Fun (Previously Insects for Dummies), we take a look at what separates bees from other pollinators! We also look at some interesting facts about their history and usage!

Support the Show :) -> https://patreon.com/user?u=46499107

Special thanks to Lofi Girl for contributing the background music. Check out HM Surf for more chill music!

This week is a listener-request episode covering wolf spiders! We will look at the habits, special traits, behaviors, and some cool sounds of these interesting arachnids.

Support the show -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107

IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825

Email: [email protected]

Music from Lofi Girl featuring: Alex Productions, Sátyr, HM Surf, Purrple Cat

Transcription:

Welcome to Episode 53 of Insects for Fun! The entomology podcast hosted by me, your not so local entomologist. Today we have another listener request from Jamie out in New Zealand wanting to learn more about Wolf Spiders! Now I’m no arachnologist, but I’m not about to turn away a listener request either so I did my best.

Wolf spiders belong to the family Lycosidae of which there are 129 genera and over 2,450 species! That’s a lot of spiders! They also have a very wide distribution being found just about everywhere except for the far north and of course antarctica!

In general wolf spiders are on the larger size, but they don’t compare with tarantulas. That being said the largest wolf spider in the world has a 12cm leg span or close to 5 inches and a thick body similar to that of a tarantula. The species is called Hogna ingens and is a critically endangered species of only 5,000 individuals or so on the Desert Grand Island off the coast of Portugal in the Madeira archipelago. You would be amazed by how many really interesting arthropods live on isolated archipelagos. In fact an entire chapter of my thesis was dedicated to parasitoid wasps found within archipelagos, but that’s another story.

Getting back on track with wolf spiders from island systems there was one special wolf spider that Jamie wanted listeners of this show to know about, and that would be one of the 25 wolf spiders endemic to new zealand called Anoteropsis litoralis. This beautiful wolf spider inhabits beaches and coastal areas which is where the species name litoralis is derived from. In Latin litor refers to the seashore and the spiders body itself actually looks like it's made out of small beach pebbles. Unlike the previous wolf spider I mentioned, this one is very small, and the species itself is only 21 years old! It’s body has evolved to blend in with its seashore surrounding helping it catch small arthropods like the New zealand shore earwigs.

Wolf spiders have long legs and are known for being really fast which makes them great at hunting down prey, and is one of the primary reasons they are called wolf spiders. These spiders do not use webs to catch their prey, and are active hunters just like wolves! That being said they don’t hunt in packs so it would be more accurate to call them lone wolf spiders (mmkay) they are also really fuzzy and have tiny hairs all over their bodies which they use to sense small changes in their environment as well as grip on to a variety of surfaces.

Most of these spiders are actually on the larger side, and are brown, grey, black or tan with dark stripes. Some people mistake them for brown recluse spiders but the brown recluse is almost never seen in nature because true to its name, this spider is very reclusive. Wolf spiders on the other hand tend to be out and about more frequently, especially at night or on overcast days, and they also always have patterns on their bodies.

Another thing that’s unique about wolf spiders is their excellent eye-sight! Wolf spiders have two large eyes in the center of their face with a row of four smaller eyes underneath and two small eyes above. In general spiders tend to have pretty poor eyesight which is why so many rely on other means of catching prey, like webs for example. They need to feel the vibrations of insects and their surroundings, but again, today’s special spider is completely different! These spiders also have powerful legs with spring-like joints allowing them to store energy and then release it at once with varying degrees of power. Depending on the distance and prey they’ll apply different degrees of force.

The diet of a wolf spider consists of ground dwelling insects like crickets, earwigs, beetles, other spiders and other small animals. For example some large wolf spider females can actually take down small amphibians and reptiles too. As a result many of them stay in areas that cater to these prey items like grasslands, rocky areas, stream edges and gravel.

Now when it comes to where wolf spiders spend their downtime, these guys have a variety of housing opportunities. Many wolf spiders will make tunnels in the ground, but others live in trees, under rock...

In this week's episode, I get to talk with the Bug Chicks, well-known educators who use insects to teach! We talk about education, their experiences in Kenya, and what they are up to next!

Website: https://thebugchicks.com/

This week is a special listener request episode! We take a look at how parasites are classified and some of the different kinds of parasites we have as humans!

Send a request to - [email protected]

IG @insects4fun

Today's featured artists are Purrple Cat, Ghostrifter Offical, and Tokyo Music Walker!

This week we look at the booming and lucrative business of isopods as pets! Let's dive into the different options, and prices for designer isopods, and how to build their enclosures and care for them.

Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107

IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825

Email: [email protected]

Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6

Music featuring artists: Kei Kawaguchi, Takada Fu, and Toshiki Hayashi