Spider ID help please!

[jamie77]

Hi,

Can anyone identify this spider for me (sorry about the quality of the picture, I dropped my good camera the other day!)? It's one of thousands that infest the gravel in my back garden every spring/summer (I'm in West Lancs). They're pretty small, about pinky-fingernail sized, and I'm not exaggerating when I say they infest, it looks like the gravel's moving some days! there are no webs, the spiders seem to live on top of each other.

Thanks!

[jamie77]

(sorry for the double-post, couldn't find an edit button).

So, I think they're some kind of wolf spider. Any idea how I can get rid of them, ie does Crawling Insect control powder work on spiders? I've had a look at my local garden centre but none of the products mention spiders, and the guy in the shop had no idea.

(I'm not particularly bothered by them but they freak my wife out, and I don't really want my kid playing in an area with that many spiders!)

[DivingDave1980]

Hi Jamie,

It does indeed look like a wolf spider - Lycosidae (although my ID skills aren't yet up to scratch). As for getting rid of them - there really is no need. Spiders aren't actually a pest, and actually control other pests (which may be harmful to plants et.c.). Your child is quite safe around them. There aren't many species of spider in the UK that can actually penetrate human skin - certainly wolf spiders are very safe to handle. It's actually quite nice to see the females looking after their eggs later in the year. If they lose their eggs they have been known to take a rolled up bit of paper as an egg-sac surrogate which I think makes them quite endearing! (But then I am a little strange I guess!). Sorry this doesn’t really answer your question.

Do you have a picture of your infested gravel? That would be nice to see!

All the best,
Dave.

PS Welcome to WAB!

[Jason Green]

Afternoon Jamie, and welcome to WAB!

You two are certainly both correct - it's a Lycosidae member (their scientific family grouping). It is not a pest species whatsoever - but of course this seems so in your case! They don't lay webs, as you observe - they seek out, stalk and ambush prey items. I doubt you'll find a way of killing them either. Not being a pest-status species I doubt there is anything available.

Now, as to which one this is - it's a Pardosa sp. most likely, and I'll tentatively suggest Pardosa amentata on account of the markings. Sometimes these are best seperated by microscopy of the male palps or examination of the female epigyne - both sexual organs. We have 30 species of Lycosid spider in the UK, or there abouts.

Originally Posted by DivingDave1980

There aren't many species of spider in the UK that can actually penetrate human skin - certainly wolf spiders are very safe to handle.

Most are, yes - but the Rustic Wolf Spider Trochosa ruricola can when handled pretty roughly in self-defense, but rarely. Casual observance would be fine. I'd photographed many many Lycosids without an issue - no concern from me or aggression from a spider - they tend to dissappear pretty quickly if you get too close. If they do, allow them to escape and just try to enjoy having these hunters around!

Take care,

Jason

[jamie77]

Thanks guys, like I said, I've no problem with them at all, I've always been one for relocation over stomping! I'd just never heard of spiders living in such large groups in gravel before, and google wasn't coming up with much, so I was a bit concerned. Mind you, my dog lies on that gravel for hours on end sunbathing and she's come to no harm! Wonder what they're eating, there must be an even-more abundant supply of smaller insects in that gravel to support this community.

I'll try and get a good shot of the gravel, although I need to step on it to get them to go running to get the best effect and my backup camera isn't the best for closeup action shots!

Thanks for the welcome by the way!

[aeshna5]

I think any powder you apply are much more likely to cause harm to your child than these spiders!

[DivingDave1980]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Rustic Wolf Spider Trochosa ruricola can when handled pretty roughly in self-defense

Nice! I'll have to look out for these!

Dave.

[Jason Green]

Something to recognise it by: Trochosa ruricola photos and info