Best time to see: mid May to mid Aug
Key facts
Wolf spiders hunt for their prey rather than spinning webs to catch them but, unlike wolves, they hunt alone
This species is an ambush predator, found beside ponds and streams and in marshes
Widespread throughout Britain and across western and central Europe
Recognition
A strongly built and fast-moving spider – females up to 9mm, males around 6mm
Distinctive coloration: chestnut-coloured abdomen with white stripes the full length of its body
It has water-repellent hairs on its legs that allow it to walk across the water surface
Lifecycle
Courting males use a form of semaphore to signal their intentions to the female
Females carry about a single white egg-sac, attached to their spinnerets
After they hatch out, she carries the spiderlings about on her back until they are old enough to look after themselves
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© Tony Gunton