Rabidosa rabida

Description

The species cephalothorax has two dark stripes. The abdomen has one stripe of the same color. Other parts of the spider are yellow. The females are larger than males, and have a body length of about an inch, while the males body length comes as a half of that. The species have eight eyes, (four on the top, and four on the bottom), which look more like a spider's moustache.

B. J. Kaston distinguishes R. rabida from R. punctulata be observing that the males of the former have front legs that are mostly black, whereas the latter have all legs of the same color.

Habitat and ecology

The species likes cotton fields, and wooded areas. They usually live in holes, and garbage of various kind. Sometimes they might be found around ponds or in deep burrows, that is covered by debris. This species doesn't build webs to catch prey, instead they weave the silk to wrap their prey in, or to protect their young. They hunt at night, by ambushing their prey, or chasing it. Sometimes, in order to catch their prey, they camouflage themselves as bark or leaves. During breeding, the male performs a "dance" in front of a female, and make a noise with his legs. If mating is successful, the female will start to lay the eggs. When she lays them, she builds an eggsack out of silk, which she will use to carry her young in. When the spiderlings are born, they ride on the mother's back until they are old enough to be on their own. They might bite if they get captured, but their bite is not dangerous to humans.

Range

The Rabid wolf spider is found throughout eastern USA, including all of New England, New York, down to Georgia and Florida.