Wolf spider sealed its burrow with dirt?

spider pest

Arachnoknight
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Sep 25, 2009
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I caught a small wolf out back the other night. Edit - I thought it was some kind of Hogna, but Trochosa sp is a possibility. Leg span is about the size of a quarter and it appears to be female. Not sure if its mature or juvenile. Will post pics for ID when I get the opportunity.

Anyway, I set it up in a small container and pre-made a burrow, which it took to immediately. Yesterday it ate a couple small crickets and was out and about on the surface in the evening. Today the burrow looks somewhat filled in, but it doesn't look like it collapsed or anything. I searched the forum a bit, but didn't find anything conclusive. I figure moulting or sac production are strong possibilities, but could a trap door be another? Interested to see if she's out tonight, but for now I'm quite curious.

Thanks!
 
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spider pest

Arachnoknight
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Sep 25, 2009
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No activity last night. I put in a small cricket to test the trap door theory and no dice. Here's what I'm looking at:



Towards the lower right hand corner you can see a sort of outline of the burrow. The middle looks like a plug of substrate. The area around it to the left seems to be some webbing with sub. mixed in. Time will tell I guess!
 

loxoscelesfear

Arachnoprince
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wolves are about as predictable as the weather. molt or egg sac sac production would be my first thought too. but it could be that it just likes the door closed. some of my wolves close up their burrow entrance for a day or so only to open them right back up again.
 

jsloan

Arachnoangel
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Can you post a picture of the spider, if you're able to get one?
 

ErikWestblom

Arachnobaron
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Apr 19, 2008
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As far as I know, no wolf spiders make any trapdoors, so it's just as loxoscelesfear said.
 

spider pest

Arachnoknight
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Sep 25, 2009
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Jsloan: id love to but when the spider was out, I had no camera access. Waiting for it to emerge!

Erik: I figured as much. I've seen many threads on here regarding wolves, but not any that mentioned filled in burrows.
 

TheTyro

Arachnobaron
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Aug 16, 2009
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My Hogna refined and plugged her burrow door with silk and dirt when she was preparing her egg sac. It took her about three and a half days to emerge...after eating her egg sac. :pMaybe thats what yours is doing? Lucky for me my Hogna accepted the raw burrow I made for her that allows me to see her even when she is inside. Heheh. It's much nicer now that she has had her way with it.

Molt or sac, you know she doesn't want to be bothered. It's too bad I can't lay down silk over the doorways whenever I want to be left alone....
 

spider pest

Arachnoknight
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Sep 25, 2009
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Hide and seek is over apparently. No sac or molt though! Hoping for an ID!









Thanks!
 

jsloan

Arachnoangel
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Jun 22, 2004
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100% certain: female Trochosa sp.

The two species in your area are T. terricola and T. ruricola and they look very much alike.

More info and pictures here: Trochosa

At this time of year you should be able to find adult males out and about, too. They are about the same size as the females, but darker:



By coincidence I got a pair here in Alberta to mate in captivity last week, and last night the female produced an egg sac.
 
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